Shinobi Rising
by Black Phoenix Risen
Summary: After being hurtled through space and time, Naruto awakens in the Tower of Fate. Under the tutelage of Kent Nelson, he aspires to be a hero to his new home. Using his techniques and his wit, he moves through the world of Young Justice as the mysterious and enigmatic hero Shinobi. Naruto X Ms. Martian. Rated T for violence and language, Rating subject to change.
1. Stranger

I do not own Naruto or Young Justice or any characters in either of their cannons. I do, however, own my own OC's and locations.

**Demon voice**

_Thought voice_

Chapter 1: Stranger

Naruto shuddered as nightmares overwhelmed him. Voices yelled in his head, voices of his comrades and friends. He couldn't tell what they wanted from him, but he knew he could no longer answer their demands.

He woke slowly. He didn't open his eyes, he was unsure if he wanted to see his surroundings. He heard a nearby crackling sound and felt heat on his face. He shifted slightly and realized there was a comfortable weight over him and that he was lying on something soft. Carefully, he cracked open his eyes. Almost immediately, he scrunched his left eye shut. He was unprepared for his new powers and what he saw overwhelmed him. Slowly, he let his right eye roam around the room.

It was a dark, comfortable room. A large fire burned in a brick fireplace. Over its mantle was a large, painted portrait of a lovely, smiling woman. Filled bookshelves lined the walls and it was filled with overstuffed furniture. Naruto gently sat up on the couch he lay on and clutched his head as it began to throb painfully. "Where am I?" he muttered to himself.

"You're in my tower," said a voice. It rang in Naruto's ears like a gong and he groaned in pain. He turned and saw an old, well dressed man approaching from the shadows. He had short grey hair and steadied himself on a cane with a golden handle. "The Tower of Fate," said the old man, motioning around the room.

"Who are you?" murmured Naruto, trying to quell the ringing in his head, "Where am I?"

"I am Kent Nelson," said the old man as he approached. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, brown bar. "As for where you are, I just told you. And I don't like to repeat myself. Here." He handed the bar to Naruto who looked at it skeptically.

"What's this?"

Kent scowled. "You must have come from somewhere far away if you've never seen chocolate." Naruto took a tentative bit and sighed as he felt a soothing warmth flow through his body.

"That's nice," he sighed.

"**Kit?**" the booming voice made Naruto's head shake.

"_Not now, Kurama_," he groaned into his mental landscape.

"Talking to someone?" asked Kent, raising an eyebrow. Naruto steadied himself on the couch. "Never mind, none of my business. Something in your eye?"

An image flashed in Naruto's mind. A clenched, bloody fist holding out to him _Naruto! Take it! You need it more than me! Sakura! Come here!_ He quickly shook his head and cleared his mind. "It's nothing," he said quickly, "What happened to me?"

"If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say you were sent hurtling through space and time," said Kent, sitting down in an armchair across from Naruto, "The Tower is a beacon for magical energy. It drew you in like a moth to flame. I found you asleep in my garden yesterday and I've been waiting for you to wake up since. Now, I think it's about time I start asking the questions. Let's start with your name."

Naruto took another bite of chocolate. "Naruto," he said, "Naruto Uzumaki."

"Uzumaki, hmm?" hummed Kent, "Would explain why you're speaking in Japanese."

Naruto blinked with his one usable eye. "Japanese?"

"It's a language. I'm guessing it's the only language where you come from. Here," Kent reached out and laid a hand gently on Naruto's head. Naruto felt a strange sensation, like his brain was burning and freezing at the same time. It cleared his head and felt the throbbing in his skull subside. "Can you understand me?"

"Of course," said Naruto, rubbing his hair where Kent had touched him, "What did you do to me?"

"I cast a multi-lingual spell on you. From now on, you'll be able to speak any language know to man."

"Thanks," said Naruto, "But, seriously, where am I?"

Kent stared at him glumly. "I told you I don't like to repeat myself." Naruto fixed him with a puzzled gaze and Kent sighed. "You're on Earth, more or less."

"Earth," muttered Naruto, feeling it out in his mouth, "Is that anywhere near the Elemental Countries?"

Kent's eyes widened. "The Elemental Countries? Oh dear," he stood up and began to pace, "You've come a long way, kid."

"Do you know how I can get back there?" he asked, a glimmer of hope in his voice. He knew Madara had said there was no way back, but that snake was deception given form.

Kent put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Naruto. I purposefully sealed off that dimension. It was too dangerous to risk those shinobi getting into another world."

Naruto rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Then how did I get here?"

Kent shrugged. "It's been almost eighty years since I visited the world of the shinobi. There's a chance they've developed a new technique to break through my seals."

"I see," said Naruto sadly, "So there's no way back?"

"Not unless you no whatever of those funky jutsus sent you here in the first place."

"No," said Naruto, standing up, "The only person who could move things between worlds is dead."

"Then I'm afraid you're stuck here, kid."

Naruto gasped, suddenly struck by memory. "Kent! When you found me, was I carrying anything?" He grabbed Kent by the shoulders and stared directly into his eyes with his one.

Kent smiled and reached into his jacket, pulling out a scroll. "You mean this?" Naruto snatched the scroll away and quickly tucked it into his pocket. "Something personal?"

"Something like that," said Naruto, "So what now?"

"That depends," said Kent, sitting down and twirling his cane, "What do you want to do?"

Naruto thought for a moment and breathed in deeply. "I have powers," he began.

"I assumed you did, shinobi."

"I-I want to help people."

Kent smiled. "There are a lot of people who need help."

Naruto flipped his hands up into a handsign and two shadow clones burst into existence on either side of him. "There's a lot of me."

Kent chuckled. "I see. Then let me teach you."

The clones burst away in puffs of smoke. "How? What would you teach me?" Kent stood and began to walk away. Naruto hesitantly followed him. As they approached the wall, Kent knocked it with his cane. The wall vanished and Naruto's jaw dropped. His left eye nearly opened in wonder, but he quickly shut it in pain. Before him was a village, but it was far too big. Metal buildings shot into the sky, larger than mountains. They stretched out as far as the eye could see in any direction. Below them were people in strange garb walking and talking while strange, metal carts moved as fast as shinobi.

"Where am I?" asked Naruto, falling to his knees in shock.

"A strange world, my friend," said Kent, "I can teach you about it. I can introduce you to this world and help you find your place in it. I can teach you to be a hero."

In Naruto's head, Kurama loosed a low growl. "**I can already tell I'm going to hate this**."

Naruto looked out over the city. "I have so much to learn."

"So we better get started." Naruto looked up to see Kent holding his hand out. Naruto took it and Kent helped him to his feet as the wall returned.

"I should warn you," said Naruto with a grin, "My learning style may be a bit…unorthodox."

Kent laughed. "Kid, when you've been around as long as I have, nothing's really out of the ordinary."

. . .

So here's my version of Naruto/Young Justice crossover. I've been a huge fan of a lot of these crossovers so I thought I'd try my hand at it myself. Please review!


	2. Independence Day

Same disclaimers and italics as before.

Chapter 2: Independence Day

Naruto shifted his eye patch and glanced around nervously with his one good eye. In the year he'd been in this world, he hadn't left the tower much. Being around such a large crowd of people as the one gathering around the Hall of Justice made him nervous.

"Quit fidgeting," muttered Kent next to him, "You'll look suspicious."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "No, an old man wearing a three piece suit in eighty degree weather is suspicious. A seventeen-year old fidgeting in a crowd is socially awkward."

Kent grunted. "Whatever. How's your eye doing?"

Naruto rubbed his eye patch and grimaced. "It's been worse. The price of power, I guess."

"I'll never understand you, kid," said Kent as he walked carefully through the crowd, "You spend the better part of a year training yourself to use that eye only to hide it behind that stupid patch. Then, you open a scroll that would grant you almost limitless power and you decide to learn only one technique. Finally, you have the power of multiple demons in you, but then you ask me to take care of…those _things_." He shook his head with a shudder as he recalled the tiny beasts Naruto had asked him to help raise. "You had so much power, kid," he said, "And you voluntarily give it up?"

"First off, I didn't decide to learn only one jutsu. It took me a whole year to master my father's Hiraishin technique, and I still don't have it down flat. I'll start learning other the other techniques when I have the time. As for why I hide my eye," said Naruto, sticking his hands in his pockets, "For one thing; this world isn't ready for the powers that eye grants me. In the shinobi world, they would have made me the greatest ninja who ever lived. Here, they would make Superman look like an ant." He took a deep bracing breath and glanced up at the sky. "I want to find a place for myself in this world, not a place for my powers."

"That's fair, I suppose," grumbled Kent.

"Besides," Naruto lifted his eye patch briefly, revealing his bizarre iris, a red six-point star with a three black points jutting out from the inside, "Most people don't walk around with a Sharingan. I want to be inconspicuous, remember?"

"But it doesn't explain why you needed to load your whelps on me."

"One demon is handful enough," smirked Naruto.

"**And don't you forget it, kit,**" yawned Kurama deep in his psyche.

"_Go back to sleep, furball,."_ Naruto scolded before tuning back to Kent. "Why are you complaining? You said you were bored anyway."

"I wanted leisurely activities, not a full-time job. Oh, it's time." Naruto perked up when he heard that. A years worth of training and learning about this new world, all about to come to fruition. The crowd roared as a group of heroes walked down the street towards the hall.

"Who is it?" Naruto asked, trying to peer over the heads of the crowd.

"Is that Batman?" someone yelled out.

"I see Flash and Flash Jr.!" someone else called.

"No, that's Speedy!"

"Speedy's Green Arrow's sidekick."

"Well that just makes no sense."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "I guess it doesn't matter."

"No, it doesn't. What matters is you're wasting our window of opportunity." Naruto sighed and nodded, continuing after the old magician. After pushing through most of the crowd, they drew close to the Hall itself. Kent began to press against the marble walls, looking for something and murmuring to himself. Naruto glanced over to the main entrance, where Batman, Robin, Green Arrow, Speedy, Aquaman, Aqualad, Flash, and Kid Flash were greeted by Martian Manhunter and Red Tornado. Naruto had read about and seen pictures of these heroes before, but he'd never seen them in person.

Truth be told, he was unimpressed. They were all shorter than he expected and, with the exception of Batman, they all looked completely lazy and at ease. "Aha!" said Kent gleefully, getting Naruto's attention. In front of the old man, the wall faded away into nothingness. "I used to use this all the time back when the Hall of Justice belonged to the Justice Society," he explained as he stepped through the wall, "The meetings were so boring. Most of the time I just slipped out after ten minutes to meet up with Inza."

"Cool," said Naruto, stepping in after the old man, the wall closing up behind him. They were in a massive corridor lined with doors.

"C'mon, the inner sanctum is down there," Kent began to hobble along and Naruto followed close behind. "Oh, you'd better get changed."

"Right." Naruto nodded and reached into his jacket. He pulled out a scroll and knelt close to the ground. He bit his thumb of one hand and unfurled the scroll with the other. He quickly streaked his blood over the paper and a cloud of smoke burst out. The smoke cleared to reveal a grey ANBU uniform with a white and orange mask in the shape of a fox head. He quickly donned the armor over his orange outfit and hooked the mask around his head. "How do I look?"

"Like a porcelain doll on a giant orangutan."

"Thanks."

Together, they walked the length of the corridor and reached a pair of double doors at the end. "Well, this is it," said Kent, turning to Naruto, "The Inner Sanctum. There's no turning back after we go through here."

"There never was any turning back, Kent-Sensei."

"And you're sure about the name?"

Naruto blinked. "What's wrong with Shinobi?"

"Nothing, just doesn't roll off the tongue as well as Doctor Fate." Kent grinned as he pushed open the doors.

"You're playing their game?" Naruto winced as they quietly entered the hall. The heroes he'd seen outside were gathered together. Speedy was standing in the center of them, ranting angrily. "Why?" he demanded, "Because you think they'll play fair? Today was supposed to be _the_ day!" his hands curled into fists of rage, "Step one in becoming full-fledge members of the league!"

"Well…sure," said Kid Flash, looking at Robin and Aqualad for confirmation, "But I thought step one was a tour of the HQ?"

"Except the Hall isn't the League's real HQ!" shouted Speedy. The adult heroes glanced at each other nervously as he continued. "I bet they never told you the Hall is just a front for tourists and a pit stop to catch Zeta Teleportation Tubes to the real HQ, an orbiting space station called the Watchtower!"

His mentor, Green Arrow, looked at his fellow heroes sheepishly, but saw no sympathy in them. "I know, I know," he said with a sigh, "But I thought maybe we could make an exception?" Batman's hard gaze was all the answer he needed. "Or not."

Kent coughed gently. All eyes turned to the old man in the corner and the masked, laid back young man next to him. "Is this a bad time?"

"Oh great!" snapped Speedy, "We've been working for years for the privilege to be on _this_ side of the glass, but now anyone can just walk in?"

"You're not helping your case here, son," said Aquaman, stepping forwards to try and diffuse the situation, "Stand down or-"

"Or what?" barked Speedy, "You'll send me to my room? And I'm not your son! I'm not even his!" he stood in front of Green Arrow, "I thought I was his partner," he said quietly, "But not anymore." He ripped his hat off his head and threw it at Green Arrow's feet. With that, the archer marched towards the exit. "I guess they were right about you three," he said to the other sidekicks as he walked past, "You're not ready." With that, he slammed the door behind him and was gone.

For a moment, nobody spoke. Robin finally cleared his throat. "Sooo is anyone else concerned that two strangers just broke into the Hall? Or are we just ignoring that for now?"

"They're not strangers," growled Batman, "At least, not one of them."

"Good to see you again, Batman," said Kent as he walked forwards, "Last time I saw you was the Etrigan affair of '97. Or was it '98? The memory isn't as good as it used to be."

"Kent," greeted Batman with a nod, "Who's this?" he motioned to Naruto.

"His name's Shinobi," said Kent, "He's a hero from a different reality. Unfortunately, he's stuck here. I was hoping you could take him to Gotham, show him how heroes do things around here."

Batman opened his mouth to reply, but flashing lights on the nearby computer consol cut him off. The screen flashed on, revealing Superman on the other end. "Superman to Justice League. There's been an explosion at Project Cadmus. It's on fire."

"Hold that thought, Kent," said Batman, "I've had my suspicions about Cadmus. This may be the perfect opportunity to-"

A second transmission interrupted him. "Zatara to Justice League. Wo-Tan the Sorcerer is using Amulet of Abin to blot out the sun! Requesting full league response!"

"Superman?" asked Batman.

"It's a small fire," the Kryptonian conceded, "Local authorities have it under control."

"Then Cadmus can wait," decided Batman, "All leaguers rendezvous at Zatara's coordinates. Batman out." The adult heroes began to file out, but Batman turned to the young protégés. "Stay put."

"What? Why?" exclaimed Robin.

"This is a league mission," intoned Aquaman.

"You're not trained-" began the Flash.

"Since when?"

"You're not trained to be a part of this team, is what I meant."

"There will be other missions when you're ready," promised Aquaman.

"In the meantime, stay put." Batman, Flash, and Aquaman followed Green Arrow out of the room

"Glad you didn't bring you-know-who?" asked Green Arrow under his breath.

"Indeed," replied the Martian Manhunter as he joined the others. Red Tornado spared one last glance at the young heroes before they all Zeta Tubed away, leaving Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad, Kent, and Naruto all alone in the room.

"When we're ready?" muttered Kid Flash, "How are we ever supposed to be ready is they treat us like…like…sidekicks."

"My mentor," whispered Aqualad solemnly, "My king. I thought he trusted me."

"Trust? They don't even trust us with the basics! Did you miss the part about the secret HQ _in space_?"

"What else aren't they telling us?"

"I have a better question," Robin butted in, "Who are you guys?" he pointed to Kent and Naruto.

"Oh, I'm just an old coot who used to work here," said Kent with a wave, "its Shinobi here you should concern yourselves with."

"Hey," said Naruto as a greeting, "What's new?"

"You didn't seriously just ask that, did you?" said Kid Flash, his shoulders slumping, "What are you, deaf? No, you know what? Here's a better question: why are you here?!"

Naruto arched an eyebrow, even though nobody could see it. "Here's a better question: why didn't you leave with Speedy?" Kid Flash raised a hand to respond, but realized he had no good answer and folded his arms over his chest, guilt evident on his face.

"What is Project Cadmus?" asked Aqualad.

"Don't know," said Robin, "But I can find out." Immediately, he turned to the computer and began typing at a frantic pace.

The screen flashed as bars of information flew past faster than the eye could follow. "Access denied," said the computer.

"Wanna bet?" snorted Robin as he began to type again.

"Whoa," said Kid Flash, his eyes trying to follow Robin's fingers, "How are you doing that?"

"Same system as the Batcave."

"Access granted."

Naruto nodded appreciatively. "Impressive."

"Oh, thanks, um, Shinobi, was it?" Robin didn't even bother to look at Naruto or wait for a response before continuing. "Alright, Project Cadmus. Genetics lab here in DC. That's all there is. But if Batman's suspicious," he turned to the other heroes, "Maybe we should check it out."

"Solve their case before they do," said Aqualad with a smirk, "It would be poetic justice."

"And hey, they're all about justice, right?" said Kid Flash excitedly.

"But they said stay put," sighed Aqualad.

"For the blotting out the sun mission, not this!" cried Robin.

"Wait, are you going to Cadmus?" Asked Kid Flash, rounding Robin to face him, "Cause if you're going, I'm going." They both turned to grin at Aqualad.

"Just like that?" he asked, "We're a team on a mission?"

"We didn't come for a play date," smirked Robin.

"I don't suppose I get a say in this?" asked Naruto. The three heroes turned to face him, like they had forgotten he was there.

"Oh, did you want to come?" asked Robin.

"I could be an asset. Plus, if I'm going to be a hero in this world, I should start somewhere."

"Very well," said Aqualad, "Let's move." The three heroes ran for the door, Naruto on their heels.

"Good luck, kid!" called Kent as the doors closed behind them, "Now, if memory serves correct, I left some of Inza's cookies in the rec room. I wonder if they're still good."

. . .

The Cadmus building was small and the fire even smaller. A few scientists seemed to be trapped on the top floor and waved franticly to the firefighters below. Suddenly, a second explosion rocked the building, hurtling the trapped scientist out the window. A yellow and red blur blew by the firefighters and Kid Flash caught the scientists as they fell. He quickly dropped them off on the roof as he struggled to run up the wall of the building. With a grunt, he fell and reached out his hands to grab the window ledge of the second story of the building.

"Hey look!" called a fireman below, "It's Flash Boy!"

"Kid Flash!" he called back, "Why is that so hard?"A three-pointed kunai knife suddenly landed next to his hand. "Holy-" he shouted in surprise. He looked up and gasped as he saw Shinobi crouching over him. "Careful with that thing!"

"My bad," Naruto held out his hand and pulled Kid Flash into the building.

"How'd you get up here so fast?"

Naruto pulled the kunai out of the ledge and tucked it away. "Trade secret." Kid Flash rolled his eyes as Robin swung in on a grappling hook and Aqualad jumped in on a platform of water.

"Apreciate the help," grumbled the Atlantean as he saw the scientists safely to the ground.

"You handled it," said Robin as he began to hack the computers, "Besides we're here to investigate. Poetic justice, remember?"

"My apologies, Aqualad," said Naruto, "I'm new to all of this."

"1st lesson, Shinobi," said Aqualad as he walked by, "Our first priority is to save lives." He stopped suddenly and stared around a corner.

"What is it?"

"There was something in the-" Aqualad mumbled

"Elevator should be locked down," said Kid Flash as he ran up behind Aqualad.

Robin joined them and peered at the elevator. He drew up his wrist computer and scanned it. "Thought so," he said, "This is a high-speed express elevator. Doesn't belong in a two story building."

"Neither does what I saw." Said Aqualad.

"Well then, what are we waiting for? Stand back," Naruto stepped forwards and made a hand sign, "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" with a puff of smoke, a clone appeared next to him. Immediately, they put their hands together and began to swirl their chakra. "Rasengan!" Naruto uttered as his clone dispersed and he rammed the blue energy orb into the elevator doors. The metal crumpled like paper against his assault the doors blew back, falling into the shaft.

Robin came up behind him and peered into the dark and seemingly bottomless pit. "I guess that's why they need an express elevator."

"What was that?" asked Kid Flash in wonder, "So, what, you've got cloning, some kind of teleportation thing, and now energy bombs? Got any other tricks up your sleeve you want to tell us about?"

"A few," said Naruto with a shrug, "But don't worry, I only break out the _real_ moves when it's necessary."

Kid Flash's look of awe slowly turned to a grin. "Shinobi my man, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship."

"C'mon," said Robin as he shot a grappling line into the roof. He jumped into the darkness as Aqualad and Kid Flash grabbed the rope and slid down after him. As Robin fell, he watched the floors go by. They were all marked their respective sub-level. At sub-level 26, the rope ran out and Robin swung himself onto the ledge of the elevator. He began to bypass security as Aqualad and Kid Flash joined him.

"Where's Shinobi?" asked Aqualad.

"Up here." Everyone looked up and Robin nearly slipped off the ledge. Naruto was standing on the wall above them with his arms folded.

"Dude! You can walk on walls?"

"I did say I could be an asset."

"No kidding," said Robin as he glanced back at his computer, "Security bypassed, go!" Aqualad wrenched open the elevator doors and they all flipped inside. They found themselves at the end of a long, dark hallway. "Welcome to Project Cadmus," said Robin.

Kid Flash ran ahead, leaving behind streaks of color. "Wait!" hissed Aqualad, but Kid Flash ignored him. The Atlantean slapped himself on the forehead as they all ran after the speedster. Just as Kid Flash turned a corner, he cried out. In front of him were massive behemoths, quadruped giants marching down the hallways with tiny little creatures on their backs. Kid Flash slid out underneath them, moving too fast to stop completely. He quickly rolled out from under them as the others joined him.

They took a moment to observe the parade of beasts. "No," said Aqualad sarcastically, "Nothing odd going on here." The parade passed and they saw a large door across the hall from them.

Naruto cracked his fingers. "One Rasengan coming right up."

"Wait," said Robin as he walked up to the door, "Until we know more, subtlety is the way to go."

"Consider it the 2nd lesson," said Aqualad as Robin began to hack the door, "Exercise caution."

The doors slid open and Robin gapped at what was beyond it. "Okay, I'm officially whelmed." Thousands of glowing creatures were in tubes stacked to the ceiling, all crackling with electric power.

"This is how they hide a massive underground facility from the world," said Kid Flash as they walked inside, "The real Cadmus isn't on the grid! It generates its own power using these…things! It must be what they're bred for or something."

"Of course," said Aqualad, "Even the name is a clue. The Cadmus of myth created an army by sowing dragon teeth into the earth."

"And this Cadmus creates new life too," said Robin.

"Let's find out why," said Naruto, pointing to a computer at the far end of the room, "Robin?"

"On it." The boy wonder began his hack and read the information as it came. "They're called G-Gnomes. Whoa! Look at the stats on these things! Super strength, telepathy, razor claws…"

"Living weapons," Naruto finished dryly, "I now officially hate Cadmus."

"They're engineering an army," muttured Kid Flash, "But for who?"

"Wait, there's something else," Robin continued, "Project Kr. The file's triple encrypted, I can't hack it."

"If it's well protected, they must not want us to find it," said Naruto.

"Which means we should totally look into it," Robin replied with a grin, "You're a fast learner, Shinobi."

"Don't move!" cried a voice. They all turned and faced a man in blue and gold armor surrounded by a pack of dog-sized G-Gnomes. "Wait," said the man, "Robin? Aqualad? Kid Flash? Who's that?"

"At least he got your name right," murmured Robin.

"I'm Shinobi. I'm new," said Naruto, "And you are?"

"I know you," Aqualad said, "Guardian. You're a hero."

"I do my best."

"Then what are you doing here?" demanded Kid Flash.

"I think that's my question, boys," Guardian folded his arms, "I'm chief of security and you're trespassing. But we can call the Justice League, figure this out."

"You think the League will approve of you breeding weapons?" yelled Kid Flash.

"Weapons?" asked Guardian, "What are you-" a tiny G-Gnome crawled onto his shoulder, its little horns glowing red. Guardian's eyes narrowed and he glared at the heroes. "Take 'em down hard! No mercy!" he ordered and the G-Gnomes attacked.

Immediately, Robin threw down a smoke grenade, shrouding the area before he used his grappling hook to escape. As he landed on the ground, a kunai knife sprouted next to him. Faster than he could blink, Shinobi was there, pulling the knife out of the ground. "You're just full of surprises, aren't you?" smirked Robin.

Red lights began to flash and an alarm blared. "C'mon," said Naruto as he ran down the hall back to the elevator. As Robin began his hack, Kid Flash ran up behind them. "Way to be team players, guys!" he accused.

"Weren't you right behind us?" asked Robin.

"Can we do this later?" Naruto motioned towards the wave of G-Gnomes that were chasing Aqualad towards them. The elevator doors slid open and they quickly jumped inside. Aqualad rolled in just as the doors closed behind them.

As they took a breather, Kid Flash glanced at the numbers atop the elevator doors. "We're going down? Dude! Out is _up_!"

"Yeah, but Project Kr is down," breathed Robin, "Sub-level 52."

"This is out of control," said Aqualad with a sigh, "Perhaps…perhaps we should contact the League." For a moment, they were silent. Then the elevator doors opened with a ding. Beyond the doors was a cavernous hall. The walls were covered in a pustules-filled ooze that made it look like it was alive.

"Well?" said Naruto as he stepped forward, "We are already here."

"Dude!" exclaimed Kid Flash, "It looks like the inside of my intestines! I'm not going out there!"

"This reminds me of the time a giant frog stomach saved my life," said Naruto as he looked around, "Good times."

Kid Flash stared at his new friend. "You must've had a weird life to be able to say that sentence," he said as he stepped out, Aqualad and Robin following him.

"You have no idea."

"Which way?" asked Aqualad as he scanned the hallway.

"Yeah," muttured Robin, "Bizarre-looking hallway one or bizarre-looking hallway two?"

"Hold!" they turned to see a tall, frail, blue skinned humanoid with large horns emerge from around the corner. Robin threw a shuriken at it, but it stopped in mid air

"Huh," muttured Naruto as the shuriken was thrown back at its owner, "Déjà vu."

"Seriously," said Kid Flash as they ran away from the creature, "What kind of life did you have where _this_ is déjà vu?"

As they rounded a corner, they saw a massive sliding door slowly close as a scientist walked out. Kid Flash tripped up the scientist and braced the door with a nearby canister. Kid Flash, Aqualad, and Robin quickly jumped through the slot in the doorway. "C'mon, Shinobi!" called Aqualad, "Hurry!" Naruto spun around and made a handsign. A clone popped up and he nodded to it as he stepped through. "What was that?" asked Aqualad as he kicked the canister out of the door, allowing it to close behind them.

"My shadow clone will slow them down."

"Do you really think one clone will be able to give us enough time?"

Naruto nodded. "Trust me; it takes a pretty solid hit to bust me up." Beyond the door, they could hear the sounds of combat.

"So what now?" asked Aqualad, "We're trapped in here for now."

"Uh, guys?" Said Kid Flash, "You'll want to see this." He pressed a few buttons on the consol before him and the room lit up. In the center of the cove was a tall glass pod. Inside, a young man in a white jump suit lay propped up against a table with three G-Gnomes surrounding him. What was most intriguing, however, was the red 'S' emblazoned across his chest. "Big 'K', little 'R'," said Kid Flash as he approached the pod, "The atomic symbol for Krypton!" He turned back to the others questioningly. "Clone?"

"Robin, hack," order Aqualad.

"Right." The boy wonder quickly bypassed the computer terminal's security and read aloud. "Weapon designation Superboy, a clone who was grown in," his eyes widened, "Sixteen weeks! From DNA aquired from Superman!"

"Stolen from Superman," growled Aqualad.

"His solar suit allows him to absorb yellow sun radiation 24/7," said Robin grimly.

Naruto clenched his fists. "How dare they?" he muttered, "How dare they breed someone for the sole purpose of being a tool for them to use?"

"Easy, Shinobi," said Kid Flash, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were taking this personally."

Naruto fixed the speedster with a hard gaze. Kid Flash gulped slightly as he realized that he could only see Shinobi's right eye through his mask, his left eye was covered in something black. "Let's just say I have experience with being used," said Naruto, "And leave it at that."

"What are those G-Gnomes doing?" asked Aqualad, pointing to the tiny trolls.

"They're telepathic. They're force feeding him an education."

"And who knows what else?" said Kid Flash, "They're making a slave out of…well… Superman's son."

"Right," said Aqualad, "Now we contact the league."

Naruto watched as they all tried to contact their respective mentors, but to no avail. "Too little, too late," he said, "We're 52 floors underground."

"You think you could teleport us out of here?" asked Kid Flash.

Naruto sighed and rubbed his head. "I don't know. My only Hiraishin Formulas are on my kunai. I have one back at Kent's Tower, but that's all the way in Salem. Not to mention I don't know how far I can go vertically." He shrugged, "I don't think we should risk it."

"We're in too deep," sighed Kid Flash, "Literally."

Naruto blinked. "We have more problems. They just defeated my clone."

Aqualad stared at him. "You said we'd have time!"

"They brought in some of those giant…things!" cried Naruto, throwing his hands up in defense, "I'd like to see anyone else try to go one-on-three with those things!"

"How did you know they brought the big guns?" asked Robin.

"When a clone dies, I get its memories. Now, can we focus please? What they're doing here…it's just wrong."

"Shinobi's right," said Aqualad, "Set him free." Robin nodded and flicked a few switches. The pod that held the Superboy opened up and, for a moment, there was silence. Then, Superboy flexed his hand. His knuckles cracked violently and Naruto took a step back. The young Kryptonian slowly opened his eyes and saw the four heroes before him. Without missing a beat, he dove for Aqualad.

He was lying on the Atlantean and beating down on him before anyone could react, but almost immediately was held by Robin and Kid Flash.

"Easy, Supey!" shouted Robin, "We're on your side!" Superboy backhanded Kid Flash into the far wall, knocking him unconscious. "I don't want to do this!" cried the boy wonder as he stuffed a smoke grenade in Superboy's face. As gas leaked into the room, Naruto grabbed the Superboy by the back, shoving him away. Aqualad grabbed Superboy by the chest and lifted him off the ground, only to be thrown to the ceiling and knocked out. Robin shot Superboy with a tazer, but the electricity seemed to do nothing to the boy. "Shinobi, use that energy ball thingy!" shouted Robin as Superboy ducked forwards.

"No time!" replied Naruto as he ducked under the teen's fist. he backed away as Robin dove forwards. Superboy growled and kicked up, kneeing Robin in the face and bringing him down. "Alrighty then" said Naruto, backing into a defensive stance, "I've been wondering how I'd measure up to Superman's strength levels." He pumped chakra through his veins and felt his arms tense up from his enhanced power. Superboy roared and jumped at him, bringing his fist down hard. Naruto raised his arm in defense but Superboy's hand was like a sledgehammer. It shattered Naruto's defense like wood and Superboy smashed Naruto on top of his skull. Naruto stumbled back, his vision blurring. "I guess…I don't measure…too well then." He said before everything went black.

. . .

Please review!

Also, quick question: In the few days since I've started this story, I've gotten more favorites and follows that most of my other stories combined. I don't think this is because my first chapter was so prodigious, seeing as how it was under 2,000 words. Are people faving and following this story just because of the fandoms?


	3. Fireworks

Same disclaimers and italics as before.

Cahpter 3: Fireworks

"**Kit!**"

Naruto winced as he woke up, but kept his eyes closed. "_What?_"

"**I just woke up. What did I miss?**"

Naruto tried to rub his aching skull, but found he couldn't move his arms. He cracked open his eyes and grimaced as he saw his arms and legs were cuffed and he was being held inside a glass pod. Aqualad, Robin, and Kid Flash were adjacent to him, tied up in a similar manner in their own pods. Superboy was standing before them, perfectly still as he kept watch. "_Um, those heroes over there and I broke into this place called Cadmus, apparently they're breeding living weapons, and they have a clone over there of Superman that knocked me out._"

"**Hmm,**" hummed Kurama, "**How strong was this Superman clone?**"

"_He made Tsunade's one-finger flicks look like a little girl's slap_."

"**Ouch. Never go up against the big blue himself, then.**"

"_Things would've gone much differently if I had used your chakra_."

"**Then why didn't you? Oh, wait, don't tell me. Your stupid 'don't let anyone know I have a demon inside of me' idea.**"

"_Demons are still largely frowned upon here_," argued Naruto as he struggled against his bonds. He was still groggy and his chakra network was moving too slow for him to properly pump chakra into his arms. "_If I want to find my place in this world, I need to find people I can trust and who trust me. It'll be hard to find people who would be willing to accept you, no offense._"

"**None taken**," growled Kurama, "**But what'll you do when you find people you trust? Will you reveal me to them?**"

"_I'll cross that bridge when I come to it_. _For now, let's just focus on getting out of here_." The others stirred, as if something was rousing them at the same time. "Hey guys," said Naruto aloud, "Glad you could finally join us."

"What?" groaned kid Flash as he took in his surroundings. He saw Superboy standing in front of him and he glared angrily at the clone. "What do you want? Quit staring! You're creeping me out!"

"Ah, KF?" said Robin gently, "How about we not tick off the guy who can fry us with a look?"

Naruto grinned. "I think you may be asking the impossible from motor mouth here."

"Dude!" Kid Flash exclaimed with a glare.

Aqualad stared mournfully at the stock still Superboy. "We only sought to help you."

"Yeah!" shouted Kid Flash, "We free you and you turn on us. How's that for gratifica-"

"Kid, please," Naruto said, "Let Aqualad do the talking."

"I believe our new friend is not in full control of his actions," said Aqualad.

Naruto smiled to himself as he saw Superboy struggling with something, effort clear across his face. "What if…What if I…What if I wasn't?" asked the clone slowly.

"He can talk?" exclaimed Kid Flash.

Superboy fixed the speedster with a steely glare. "Yes, _he_ can."

Everyone turned their heads to glare at Kid Flash accusingly. "What?" he said defensively, "Not like I said 'it'."

"The G-Gnomes taught you telepathically, did they not?" asked Aqualad.

"They taught me much," said Superboy carefully, "I can read, write, I-I know the names of things."

"But have you seen them?" asked Robin, "Have they ever actually let you see the sky? Or the sun?"

"Images are implanted in my mind, but no, I have not seen them," Superboy conceeded.

"It's not the same," said Naruto, "Trust me, I know."

"Do you know what you are?" asked Aqualad, "Who you are?"

"I am the Superboy," said the clone, standing up straight, happy he finally had an answer he could confidently give, "A Genomorph, a clone created from the DNA of the Superman, created to replace him should he parish, to destroy him should he turn from the light."

Naruto gazed in sympathy at Superboy. "You were created for a purpose, not allowed to do anything but what you are told. And you don't see the immediate problem with that?" Superboy just stared at Naruto in confusion.

"To be like Superman is a noble aspiration," said Aqualad, "But like Superman, you deserve a life of your own, beyond that solar suit, beyond your pod, beyond Cadmus."

"I live because of Cadmus!" snapped Superboy angrily, "It is my home!"

"Your home is a test tube," Robin counter dryly, "We can show you the sun."

"Um, I'm pretty sure it's after midnight, but we can totally show you the moon," interjected Kid Flash.

"We can show you, introduce you, to Superman," offered Aqualad gently. For a moment, Superboy's resolve waivered. His face showed a glimpse of hope, of eagerness to meet his biological father. Naruto smiled brightly, it was this exact look he had been waiting for, this desire to have a life separate from being a weapon.

"I'm afraid they offer you empty promises," said a voice. Everyone's attention was drawn to the far wall, where a door slid open to reveal Guardian and a scientist in a white lab coat, G-Gnomes on both of their shoulders. "They'll be a little too busy to show you to Superman," said the scientist as they strolled in, "Activate the cloning process." Guardian walked over to the computer and began initiating the sequence.

"Um, pass," called Robin, "Batcave's crowded enough."

"And my clones can be a bit uppity now and again," said Naruto, "I don't know if you really want one with you all day, everyday."

The scientist rolled his eyes. "And get the weapon back in its pod."

"Did you just call him a weapon?" asked Naruto, his voice dangerously quiet. Deep in his psyche, Kurama growled deeply and softly. Guardian lay a hand on Superboy's shoulder, but the young clone gently pulled away.

"Oh don't start thinking now," said the scientist, the G-Gnome on his shoulder hopping over to Superboy. Its tiny horns glowed for a moment and Superboy's eyes became glassy and unfocused. "See, you're not a real boy, you're a weapon." Naruto's eye narrowed. "And you belong to me…well, to Cadmus…same thing. Now get back to your pod." Superboy slowly walked away.

"Hey, ponytail."

The scientist turned to face the unfamiliar hero. "Yes? Who are you?"

"The name's Shinobi," said Naruto, "But that's not important right now. What is important is this. I'm going to break out of here. I'm going to take my friends and Superboy and we're going to leave this facility, and when we do, I'm going to come back for you, and I'm going to make you wish you majored in theater when I'm done with you."

"Oh," said the scientist, folding his arms and raising an eyebrow incredulously, "And just how do you plan to do that?"

Naruto lowered his head so his one cerulean blue eye was staring directly into the scientist's brown ones. "Like this." Faster than even the Flash could blink, Naruto was gone.

"Seriously, how does he do that?" muttered Kid Flash.

The scientist stumbled back in surprise, staring at the space the ninja had previously occupied. "Raise the alarm!" he shouted at Guardian, "Find him! I'll finish the cloning process." Guardian rushed out as the scientist continued to stare at the now empty pod

. . .

Superboy was walking down the hallways of Cadmus, his mind completely blank when the G-Gnome on his shoulder was plucked away. He turned to see one of the boys from the pods, the one with the fox mask, standing behind him, holding the G-Gnome in his hand.

"I don't know about you," he said as he tossed the tiny creature away, "But I'm getting pretty sick and tired of those things."

"How-how did you get out?"

Naruto patted Superboy on the shoulder. "I put a Hiraishin Formula on you when we were fighting." Superboy peered over his shoulder and was just barely able to see a small, black mark on the back of his solar suit. "You know, Superboy," said Naruto, "We're not so different. We were both born and raised to be living weapons. But our creators always focused more on the 'weapons' part of that term, not so much the 'living'."

Superboy winced and looked at his feet. "I can hear the others," he said, "They're in pain!"

"So what are you going to do about it?" asked Naruto, "Will you go back to your pod and be a weapon for your creators to use whenever they need you? Or will you come with me back to the room and be a hero?"

Superboy slowly looked up at Naruto. "What would Superman do?"

"I think you already know the answer to that."

Superboy hesitated for a moment, but then his face set in a look of pure determination. "Follow me."

Naruto waved him away. "Go. I have some stuff to do. I'll join you soon." Superboy nodded and ran off. Naruto made a quick hand sign and a dozen shadow clones popped up. "Spread out and see if there are anymore captives here. Cause as much chaos as possible, understood?" His clones nodded and immediately split up. Naruto Hiraishined back to Superboy.

"Don't give me orders," the young clone was telling the scientist as Naruto appeared behind him. Naruto took no small satisfaction as he watched the scientist scramble away from Superboy.

"Told you," Naruto said with a grin, reading the scientist's name tag, "Dr. Desmond."

"You here to help us or fry us?" asked Kid Flash as Superboy approached their pods. The Kryptonian narrowed his eyes for a moment in concentration.

"It looks like I don't have heat vision," he said after a moment, "So I guess helping is my only option."

There was a hiss as Robin's shackles fell away and his pod opened. "Ugh! Finally," he groaned as he leapt to the ground and rubbed his wrists, "Lucky Batman wasn't here. He'd have my head for taking so long."

"Seriously? That's what you're worried about?" asked Kid Flash as Naruto jumped up to help him out of his pod, "The whole league will have our heads after tonight!"

"Speak for yourself," said Naruto as they jumped back to the floor, "Superboy, can you get Aqualad?"

"Don't you give me orders either!" snapped Superboy as he climbed up to Aqualad. He crumpled the shackles in his hand and helped the Atlantean to the ground.

"Thank you."

"It's what Superman would have done."

"You'll never get out of here!" cried Dr. Desmond as his former captives ran by him, "I'll have you all in pods by morning!"

"That guy is not whelmed," said Robin as he turned back, "Not whelmed at all."

"What is it with you and this 'whelmed' thing?" asked Kid Flash as Robin tossed explosive shuriken at the pods, blowing away all usable traces of their DNA. As they ran down the halls of the lower levels of Cadmus, the pustules on the walls began to glow. Naruto glanced behind them and saw some of the dog G-Gnomes being birthed from the growths. He grit his teeth in a grimace and picked up the pace.

"The elevator!" shouted Aqualad, pointing ahead. As he spoke, several massive G-Gnomes appeared on either side of the elevator and moved forward to block the team. As one, they skidded to a halt just in time to keep from getting crushed underfoot. Aqualad, Robin, Kid Flash, and Naruto ducked around the giant beasts, but Superboy let loose a primal roar and engaged them head on. He tossed them around like playthings, but his roughhousing made the walls and ceiling shake.

"Superboy!" shouted Aqualad, "The goal is escape! Not to bury ourselves!"

"You want escape?" demanded Superboy with a roar of anger. His eyes were wide with berserker rage.

"**Oh, that brings back memories**," muttered Kurama.

"_Any advice, furball?_" asked Naruto as Superboy threw the beasts at one another.

"**You could always use my power**." The demon offered.

Naruto rolled his eyes and turned back to the elevator. A shadow clone and Rasengan later and the doors were twisted pieces of metal. Robin shot his grappling hook and Kid Flash leapt onto a ledge. As Naruto ran onto the wall with his chakra, Superboy grabbed Aqualad and jumped into the shaft. He rose several yards into the air before his eyes widened and gravity took hold. "I-I'm falling?" he whispered.

Naruto Hiraishined to Superboy and latched himself to the wall as he grabbed the clone and the Atlantean. "Gotcha," he grunted as he dropped them onto a ledge.

"Superman can fly," murmured Superboy, "Why can't I fly?"

"Dunno," said Kid Flash with a shrug, "But it looks like you can leap tall buildings in a single bound. Still cool."

"Guys!" shouted Robin, pointing to an elevator coming down towards them, "This'll have to be our exit!"

"Right!" Superboy jumped across the chasm and shattered the doors on the other side. They rolled into the far hallway just as the elevator cut down on where they had just been.

Suddenly, the floor shook and they all braced themselves. "What was that?" demanded Robin.

"That would be a few clones I set loose in the lower levels," said Naruto, "They'll buy us some time, but we have to move now!"

"This way!" said Superboy, "Follow me!" He ran down the hallway with Naruto on his heels. The sidekicks shared a glance and a shrug before running after them. After a moment, they found themselves at a dead end.

Another vibration shook the halls. "There goes my last clone," said Naruto, "Anyone got any ideas?"

"Great job, Supey!" accused Kid Flash, "Are you trying to get us re-podded?"

Superboy looked confused and disoriented. "No, I-I don't understand, I-"

"Don't apologize!" exclaimed Robin excitedly, "This is perfect! Look!" he pointed to a small ventilation shaft in the far wall. They quickly clambered into the shaft one by one with Robin leading them towards the surface. They had climbed a few levels before Superboy stopped them. "Shh, you hear that?"

"No super hearing, Supes," Kid Flash reminded him, "What's up?"

"I think there're G-Gnomes in the vents."

Naruto looked up at the person before him. "Robin, you deactivated internal security cameras, right?"

"Of course."

"What about motion sensors?"

A slow grin formed across Robin's face. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I say we send our friend the good doctor on a little wild goose chase."

"I like the way you think, Shinobi," said Robin as he brought up his holographic wrist computer and began to type away.

"Let's get out of these vents," said Kid Flash, "I don't like being cramped."

"Agreed," Naruto nodded as he kicked open a grate and tumbled into an empty hallway.

"Alright," said Robin, tucking away his computer as he was the last to leave the vent, "That should keep them busy, but there are still plenty of levels between us and out."

"But I finally have room to move!" Kid Flash grinned as he lowered his goggles over his eyes and dashed through a nearby door marked 'stairs'. As everyone else followed him, Kid Flash tackled any G-Gnomes on the stairs and they tumbled either against a concrete wall or over the railing down into the abyss. Naruto ran along the railing and jumped from floor to floor, scouting the next level before the rest of the team arrived.

"More behind us!' shouted Robin as he passed. Naruto formed a clone which tackled the G-Gnomes following the group.

"Superboy!" the Kryptonian turned back and slammed his foot into the metal stairs. It crumpled like paper under the force, sending the G-Gnomes and Naruto's clone to the floor.

"C'mon!" shouted Kid Flash above them, "We're almost there!" He ran out a door marked 'Sub-Level 1' and cheered as he saw stairs at the end of a hallway. Just as he was about to reach them, a metal door closed in front of him. He slammed into it and fell back with a groan.

"They've cut us off from the street," said Aqualad as the others caught up.

"Thanks," grumbled Kid Flash, "My head hadn't noticed."

"Guys?" said Naruto. They all turned and gulped audibly when they saw the veritable army of G-Gnomes that stood behind them, led by the gold-helmeted Guardian.

"We take them on three," instructed Aqualad, drawing his water-bearers, "One…two…" he never reached three. Instead, he, Robin, and Kid Flash fell to the ground unconscious.

"**Hey kit,**" said Kurama, "**Someone's trying to get into your head. Should I let them in?**"

"_What do you think, furball?_"

"**I think you need to lay off the sarcasm for a while.**" As Naruto watched, the host of G-Gnomes split for a frail, blue humanoid with massive, glowing horns, the same one he had seen on sub-level 52. The humanoid locked eyes with Superboy and for several seconds, they simply stared at each other.

Guardian shook his head and his eyes widened. "Wha-what's going on?"

Naruto shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine."

Superboy nodded to the humanoid. "I…I choose…freedom," he said. The humanoid nodded and the others slowly woke up.

"Guardian?" asked Aqualad, wondering if the brainwashed superhero would stop them.

"Go," he said firmly, "I'll handle Desmond."

"I think not." G-Gnomes fled the hallway in a stampede as Dr. Desmond walked out of the shadows of the hallway. "Project Blockbuster will give me the power to restore order to Cadmus!" he declared, lifting up a vial of blue liquid. Before anyone could react, he tossed the vial back into his mouth, swallowing the solution. Immediately, he doubled over in pain and began to moan mournfully.

"Um, I'm no expert," said Naruto as he backed away, "But you did test that stuff to make sure it's safe, right?" As everyone watched with wide eyes, Desmond's clothes ripped apart as his muscles doubled in size. His joints cracked violently with his body undergoing sever spontaneous transformation. His skin started to rip, revealing a layer of solid rock underneath it. He stood up and roared with his new power, standing a good ten feet tall.

"Well, I'll say this for him," said Kid Flash, "I didn't see that coming."

"Everyone back!" called Guardian as he charged the behemoth. Before he could even lay a finger on the beast, he was backhanded against the wall and slid to the floor unconscious. Superboy growled and tackled what had once been a scientist and they began to trade punches. The beast gave a ferocious uppercut which sent Superboy through the ceiling and into the Cadmus lobby. With a screech of rage, the monster followed him.

"You think lab coat planned to do that?" asked Kid Flash as they gathered under the hole.

"I doubt he is planning anything anymore," replied Aqualad grimly.

"Going up," said Naruto as he pulled Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad in for a hug.

"Um, Shinobi," started Robin, "What-" Naruto Hiraishined them all into the lobby behind Superboy, who was grappling with the creature. "Did you just teleport us?" the boy wonder gapped, "Dude! So cool!" Suddenly, Superboy slammed into Naruto, knocking them both to the ground. They quickly stood back up and the five heroes faced off against the behemoth. As one they charged.

Kid Flash slid under the creature and kneeled behind it as Superboy and Aqualad punched the creature, sending it tumbling over Kid Flash's back. "Learned that one in kindergarten!" he chuckled.

Robin threw shuriken at the beast, but he swatted them away as it stood up. Superboy quickly put it in a full nelson hold. Naruto rushed them, a Rasengan spinning in his hand as his clone vanished in a puff of smoke. He slammed the orb of chakra into the creature's stomach, sending both the beast and Superboy into a pillar, cracking the stone bearing.

"Hey! Careful!" shouted Superboy.

"My bad!" Naruto called back, "He still conscious?" As a response, the monster reached back and grabbed Superboy's head, flinging the young Kryptonian across the room into another pillar. Aqualad came down from the shadows of the ceiling, forming a giant club with his water-bearers at the same time Kid Flash was charging the beast. The creature grabbed Kid Flash's arm and tossed him almost lazily into Aqualad before heading after Superboy. He grabbed the clone and began pounding him into another pillar.

"Rasengan!" Naruto cried as rammed the attack into the beast's back, which sent him crashing into Superboy once more.

"What did I just say?!" shouted the clone.

"Sorry!" The beast backhanded Naruto before Aqualad attacked it. Naruto landed with a grunt next to Robin. "Please tell me you have a plan."

"Take out the pillars," said Robin as he tossed explosive shuriken, "We'll bring the roof down on his head!"

"**Huh, I like this guy**," Kurama murmured, "**Smart**."

"Then I guess it's true what they say about desperate times," muttured Naruto, "Right, let's do it!" he ran to a pillar and made a Giant Rasengan. It drilled through the stone like a hot knife through butter. The roof began to quake as its supports vanished. Naruto turned back to see Kid Flash distracting the beast as Robin, Superboy, and Aqualad dealt with the last few pillars.

There was one pillar left as Robin drew an 'X' on the floor with a shuriken. Naruto grinned as he realized what the boy wonder had planned. Aqualad emptied his water pack onto the floor over the 'X' and Kid Flash drew the beast over the water. Superboy jumped up and brought two fists down on the creature's shoulders, bringing it to its knees. Naruto formed four clones and they all leapt at the beast, holding it to the floor as Aqualad activated his eel tattoos, electrifying the pool of water. The clones puffed away as the beast screamed in pain. Robin threw his shuriken and they embedded themselves in the last pillar before exploding.

Instantly, the roof caved. A large section fell over the beast and Naruto had enough time to cheer in victory before more ceiling fell over them. The building imploded, leaving an entire empty lot of rubble and debris. Superboy tossed a piece of the second floor off of him and Kid Flash, his solar suit torn and shredded. Aqualad lower his water shield that protected him and Robin.

"Where is Shinobi?" asked Aqualad in concern.

"Here," said Naruto, popping into existence behind Superboy.

"I'm gonna have to get used to that," said Kid Flash as he dusted himself off.

"**Scared me there for a second, kit,**" Kurama said, "**Should've just used my cloak to protect you.**"

"_Kurama…_" Naruto told him in a warning tone.

"**Right, got it, shutting up.**"

"We…we did it," said Aqualad in amazement.

"Was there ever any doubt?" panted Robin. He tried to high-five Kid Flash, but they both winced from their multiple bruises and cuts. Superboy stepped out of the rubble and stared up at the full moon shining overhead.

"See?" offered Kid Flash, "The moon."

Naruto rested a hand on Superboy's shoulder. "It's better than implanted images, isn't it."

Superboy nodded. "So much better." His eyes widened as a shadow appeared in the moonbeams. It grew larger and more visible as it came closer.

"And Superman," said Kid Flash, "Do we make good on our promises or what?"

The entire Justice League floated into view; those who couldn't fly were carried by the Green Lanterns. It was and impressive sight to say the least. For a moment, there was silence as they all landed. Superboy slowly stepped forwards to Superman who stared at him suspiciously. Superboy lifted the torn cloth of his chest to reveal the 'S' shield to his biological father. Superman's eyes widened in shock, but he said nothing.

"Is that what I think it is?" asked Batman as he stepped forwards.

"He, not it," said Naruto firmly.

"I'm Superman's clone!" snapped Superboy, disappointed at the reception his revelation had received. There was a moment of silence as the League absorbed this.

"Start talking," rasped Batman, "Now." It took a while for the young heroes to tell their story, but they got it across to the adults in due time. Naruto and Superboy remained silent for the most part, letting the sidekicks try to impress their mentors. Finally, they finished and a section of the League was dispatched to take the unconscious beast, who they dubbed Blockbuster, to prison. Superman went off with Wonder Woman and Martian Manhunter to talk while the other adults mingled amongst themselves.

After a while, Superman approached his young clone. "We'll, ah, we'll figure something out for you," he said, "The League will, I mean. For now I…I'd better go make sure they get that Blockbuster thing squared away." Superboy watched Superman fly off into the night as Batman, Flash, and Aquaman approached the team.

"Cadmus will be investigated," the dark knight told them, "All 52 levels. But let's make one thing perfectly clear-"

"You should have called!" interrupted the Flash angrily.

"End results aside," Batman continued as if he hadn't been interrupted, "We are _not_ happy. You hacked Justice League systems, disobeyed direct orders, and endangered lives. You will not be doing this again, understood?"

The group shared a quick glance, but it was enough for an unspoken agreement to pass between them. "I'm sorry," Aqualad spoke for the team, "But we will."

"Aqualad," barked Aquaman, "Stand down."

"Apologies, my king," insisted Aqualad, "But I will not." Aquaman arched an eyebrow as his protégé continued. "We did good work here tonight. The work you trained us to do. Together, on our own, we forged something powerful, important."

"If this is about your treatment at the Hall," interjected the Flash, "The three of you-"

"The five of us," countered Kid Flash, "And it's not about the Hall."

"Batman," sighed Robin, "We're ready to use what you've taught us, or why teach us at all?"

"Why let them decide?" demanded Superboy, "It's simple: got on board, or get out of the way!"

"I would just like to point out that you guys have jurisdiction over me," said Naruto defensively, "Officially, I'm not associated with the League, so you can't really tell me to stop anyway. That being said," he jerked his thumb at the other young heroes, "I'm totally with them. 3rd lesson of being a hero: stick together."

Aqualad smirked. "I don't believe I taught you that lesson."

"I decided to make my own. You like it?"

"Very much so." Together, the new team stood against the Justice League.

"Hey, kid!" everyone turned to see Kent walking towards them, leaning on his cane and waving a pan of cookies in the air, "They're still good! After fifty years they're still good! Say what you will about Inza's cooking, she made her stuff to last!"

. . .

Four days later, the team was reassembled inside the Mt. Justice cave in Happy Harbor, Rhode Island. They were all in their civilian clothes, although Robin had dark sunglasses over his eyes and Naruto hadn't taken off his mask. "This cave was the original secret sanctuary of the Justice League," Batman explained, "We're calling it into service again. Since you five are determined to stay together and fight the good fight, you'll do it on League terms." He looked to the team for confirmation and they all nodded in understanding. "Red Tornado has offered to live here as your supervisor, and Black Canary has agreed to train you. I will deploy you on missions."

"Real missions?" demanded Robin.

"Yes, but covert," Batman confirmed.

"Good, covert's my forte," said Naruto.

Kid Flash snorted. "Please! Your teleportation thing may help you, but that energy bomb is as subtle as a jackhammer. By the way, you can take off your mask, you're with friends."

"Fine," Naruto conceded as he removed his mask and tucked it into his waistband. Everyone stared at him and he raised an eyebrow. "What? Do I have something in my teeth?"

"Dude, what happened to your eye?" asked Kid Flash, pointing to Naruto's eye patch.

Robin elbowed the speedster hard in the ribs. "Jeez, KF you can't just ask somebody what happened to their eye!" he hissed.

"The League will still handle the big stuff," said the Flash, tearing his gaze away from Naruto, "There's a reason we have these big targets on our chests."

"But Cadmus proves that the bad guys are getting smarter," continued Aquaman, "Batman needs a team that can operate on the sly."

"The six of you will be that team," finished Batman.

"Sweet!" said Robin, "Wait, the six of us?"

Batman nodded to the Zeta Tube, where Martian Manhunter approached from the shadows, accompanied by the most beautiful girl Naruto had ever seen. She had flowing red hair that made roses look like insults of nature. Her skin was as smooth and green as vines and her face would have made every girl from Konoha jealous. "This is the Martian Manhunter's niece," Batman introduced, "Ms. Martian."

"Hi!" she said nervously.

"Liking this gig more every second," whispered Kid Flash as he shot to the girl's side, "Welcome aboard! I'm Kid Flash. That's Robin, Aqualad, Shinobi, its cool if you forget their names."

"I'm honored to be included," she said shyly as she shook Kid Flash's waiting hand. Robin and Aqualad moved forwards to introduce themselves properly. Naruto laid a hand on Superboy's shoulder. "C'mon," he said, "If we don't introduce ourselves now, Kid Flash will probably tell her horror stories about us." Superboy grinned at him as Naruto lead him over to the others.

"Hi," Naruto said, "I'm Shinobi. Welcome to the team!"

Ms. Martian blushed slightly and her hair grew thin yellow streaks in it. "I like your hair," she said quietly.

Naruto grinned and Aqualad smiled. "Today is the day," he said, almost to himself.

. . .

In a secret room in an undisclosed location, several computer monitors shone with life. Outlined against each screen was a brilliant silhouette. "Can we afford to leave Cadmus in the hands of Guardian?" asked a distorted voice from one screen.

"We have more pressing concerns," said another, "The children, they show that the Justice League is willing to use younger heroes to do their dirty work."

"A dark twist," said another, "But one that can be played to our advantage."

"You're all missing something," said a fourth, "This new player, this Shinobi. I recognized some of his powers."

"And?"

"He hails from a different dimension. I visited it a few centuries ago. So chaotic…Anyway, Dr. Fated-to-have-no-fun sealed it off."

"Then how did Shinobi get through?"

"I dunno, but if he did get through that seal, it means there must be holes in it. If we were to make those holes bigger…"

"The chaos of the other dimension would be brought to Earth," another continued.

"And manipulated," finished another, "Eventually, everyone sees the Light."

. . .

Please review!

Thanks so much for answering my questions guys. I have a lot of ideas I want to put in this story as wall as ways I can have Naruto interact with the team when it goes on missions. Thanks a lot for all of your suggestions and critiques, keep 'em coming so I can bring you better stories!


	4. Welcome to Happy Harbor

Same disclaimer and italics as before.

Chapter 4: Welcome to Happy Harbor

Naruto had always suffered from bad dreams for one reason or another. This was to be expected, he had had a very troubled life. However, he had rarely dreamed in the last year. It was a side effect of living in the Tower of Fate; dreams could often have a negative impact of sorcerers so many magicians used spells that prevented them from dreaming. Kent had managed to cast a spell on the whole building, making the subconscious stay subconscious.

The week after the team had assembled at Mt. Justice, however, was different. Naruto dreamt very briefly each night, but it was never pleasant.

They weren't so much dreams as they were a series of flashes. For a moment, he would see Superboy in his solar suit frozen in a block of ice. There was a boy who looked like Speedy with one arm. There was a pale girl who looked like she had never seen the sun. Words and letters flashed before him, like brief screenshots of computer consoles.

"Hey, kid!" Naruto burst up in his bed with a gasp. Sweat poured off him like a tsunami. "You were yelling," said Kent as he entered the room in his night gown.

"Bad…dream," panted Naruto.

"Really?" said Kent with a frown, "I'll check the spell in the morning. Any idea what might have caused this?"

"I don't know," Naruto clutched his head, "Maybe…my clones? They used my Rasenshuriken a few times in Cadmus. There was so much chaos; I'm not sure what they saw."

"Mmm," Kent nodded and sat on Naruto's bed, "Chaos is the enemy of order. Your clones' memories are jumbled in your mind, creating mayhem. This counteracts the magic of the Tower."

"Is there any way to fix it?"

"Yes, put it out of your mind for now. Try to organize your thoughts and put the things you know to be true first in order of priority."

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki," whispered Naruto to himself, "I come from Konoha. I am the Jinchuriki host of Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon. I am the hero Shinobi."

Kent smiled. "Better?"

"A little."

Kent hesitated. "You know, Nabu would kill me for saying this, but a little chaos can be a good thing."

"What do you mean?"

"Chaos doesn't necessarily mean evil," reasoned Kent, "In fact, in terms of magic, balance is more powerful than either chaos or order on their own."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Kent-sensei, I know where you're going with this."

"It would be perfect!" Kent burst out, "You hold a demon! It can counteract Nabu's possession while you command the powers of Doctor Fate! Combine that with your shinobi powers and your demon chakra, you could be the most powerful warlock who ever lived!"

"Kent-sensei, we've been over this," sighed Naruto, "Nabu is a Lord of Order. He needs a proper host, not one who would abuse his power."

Kent threw his hands up into the air. "Who says you would abuse his power!? In my opinion, you already proved yourself at Cadmus!"

"Look, sensei," said Naruto firmly, "First off, if I were to take Nabu's powers by force, I would be no better than a criminal. Second, I'm already powerful, even without Kurama's help. I don't need a magic helmet to amplify my powers. Third, I'm tired and I want to go to sleep." He rolled over under his sheets and Kent stood up with a sigh.

"Very well, maybe when you're older," he walked to the door to Naruto's room before he turned back, "Oh, by the way, I'm kicking you out of the Tower."

Naruto shot up in bed and stared at his sensei with wide eye. "What?!"

"You're part of a team now, kiddo," Kent grinned, "Go out! Meet some people! Be a hero! There's nothing more I can teach you that you can't learn from others. Besides, even I can't fathom the mind of a teenager. You're going to have to figure that one out for yourself."

"But…but what about the cubs?" demanded Naruto.

Kent waved away the question. "I'll take care of them. Got nothing better to do. What are you so worked up about? I would've thought you wanted to leave the company of an old coot like me."

Naruto glared at his blanket. "You know perfectly well why I don't want to leave," he said quietly.

Kent glanced back at him. "I do," he replied, "Your old world; you still haven't left it completely."

"So many lost," whispered Naruto, "People I grew up with, learned with, fought with. I'll never see them again." He looked up at Kent. "If there's any way to get back to my world without breaking your barrier, I'll find it in the Tower."

"Naruto!" barked Kent. He only used the young ninja's name when he was serious, "If such a secret existed, you could spend a lifetime, several lifetimes even, searching the Tower and still never find it. I'm sorry, son, but you're stuck here, and there's nothing you can do about it." Naruto glared at his sensei and said nothing. Kent sighed and walked back to Naruto's bed. He knelt down so he was eye to eye with the blonde and stared directly into his uncovered eye. "Moving out will be best for you," he said quietly, "It will help you move on with your life."

Naruto sighed and hung his head. "Fine. If you truly think this is best, I will leave."

"I do," Kent stood, "Besides, you can visit whenever you like. I'll even call you back sometimes. Somebody around here has to take out the trash and it sure ain't gonna be me." Naruto offered a small smile to his teacher as Kent walked out and closed the door.

. . .

The next morning, Naruto and Kent stood outside the Tower. "Are you sure that's all you want to take?"

"They're all I own," said Naruto, holding up the scroll he had arrived with and a bag full of clothes.

Kent sighed and fiddled in his pocket. "Here," he said, "I got you these." Naruto held out his hand and Kent dropped two items into it.

"Um, thanks, Kent-sense, but I can always buy myself a watch," Naruto held up a golden pocket watch identical to the one Kent always carried.

"Shut up, kid," Kent rapped his cane over Naruto's skull, making the blonde wince, "That watch makes you a Sentinel of Magic. If you ever come across another Sentinel, just flash that watch at them and they'll help you out."

"Cool," said Naruto, pocketing the golden timepiece, "And the necklace?" He held up a thin chain necklace with a small, silver ankh charm.

"If you ever need help," said Kent somberly, "Just put a little chakra in there and Dr. Fate will be there in a jiffy."

Naruto slowly put the necklace on over his head. "You'd do that for me?"

Kent smiled. "Kid, you're the best thing to happen to me since Inza died. If you needed me to, I'd use that stupid helmet as a battering ram."

Naruto embraced the magician, much to both of their surprise. "Thank you, Kent-sensei," he said, "I'll never forget what you've done for me."

"It's not like this is good-bye, kid," protested a flustered Kent, "I still need help raising the cubs and such."

Naruto pulled back in embaressment. "Right, right."

Kent rolled his eyes. "You remember how to get to the Zeta Tube in Boston?"

"I put a Hiraishin Formula on it."

"Then I'll see you around, kid."

"Later, old man."

"Is that any way to talk to your sensei?" But Naruto was already gone, the echo of his chuckle still hanging in the air.

. . .

The Zeta Tubes left a bad taste in Naruto's mouth, it felt as if his entire body had just been to the dentist. But so long as it got him from point A to point B, he supposed he shouldn't complain.

As he exited the Zeta Tube in a flash of light, a computerized voice announced his arrival. "Recognized: Shinobi, B-zero-six." The Cave's central lobby was a cavernous room lit by a hologram-projecting floor as well as conventional lights scattered around the walls.

"Shinobi!" Naruto turned and smiled as he saw Ms. Martian flying towards him out of one of the halls. She was wearing a nice red skirt and cardigan over a white blouse.

"Morning, Ms. Martian," he greeted.

"What are you doing here?" she pulled up and landed in front of him, her arms folded shyly over her body.

"Well, my sensei kicked me out and told me to live here. I hope you don't mind."

"Oh, not at all!" exclaimed Ms. Martian, "We have plenty of extra rooms. Ooh! I know the perfect one for you! Follow me!" She turned and started walking back towards the hallway she came from.

"Where's Superboy?" asked Naruto as he followed her, "I thought he was living here too."

"Yeah, he doesn't leave his room much," she said, "Here we are!" she bowed and motioned regally to a room imbedded into the rock wall. Naruto pushed open the door and walked inside. It was a well sized room, with a bed and a shelf built into the stone.

"It's perfect," he said turning back, "Thanks, Ms. Martian." She smiled with a slight blush. "Hey, where is everybody?" he asked as he lay his clothes out in a dresser under the bed.

"Oh, hello Megan!" she exclaimed, slapping her forehead, "Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad left last night to try and convince Speedy to join the team! They should be back soon."

"Megan," said Naruto, "Is that your name?"

"Well, actually it's M'gann," she said, tucking her hair behind her ear, "But I'm trying to get used to the whole being-on-Earth thing, so I'm trying out Megan."

"Looks like we're in the same boat then," Naruto said, "We're both strangers in a strange world." For a moment, they were silent, just looking at each other. Then, they heard a distant hum of a Zeta Tube. "That'll be the others. Shall we?"

"Yes, right," said M'gann quickly as she flew back towards the Tubes. Naruto grinned and ran after her. Inside the cave, the three sidekicks were just exiting the teleporters in their civvies.

"Rough night, I take it?" asked Naruto, seeing their haggard faces.

"Speedy said no," Kid Flash grunted, "'Junior Justice League'. Why didn't I think of that? We should totally call ourselves that."

"Well, it's ridiculous, clichéd, and juvenile, why _didn't_ you think of it?" Naruto grinned at the flustered speedster.

"Dude!"

"What are you doing here, Shinobi?" asked Aqualad, "I thought you were living with your sensei."

"It's a long story," Naruto sighed, "To make it short, he told me to stay here so I can get used to Earth society in a, shall we say, demonstrative environment."

"That's right," remarked Robin, "You come from another dimension. What's that like?"

"Culture shock times a thousand," Naruto replied with a shrug, "No biggie."

"Got any cool stories about your home world?" asked Kid Flash as he shot behind Naruto and slung and arm over his shoulder, "Any superheroes? Secret societies? Hot babes?"

Naruto rolled his eyes and shrugged off Kid Flash. "I don't really want to talk about it."

"It's cool, bro," nodded Robin, "We won't push, won't we?" he glared pointedly at Kid Flash.

"What?" demanded the red-head, "I won't push, alright?"

"Push what?" everyone turned to see Superboy walking out of the shadows in a leather coat and a black shirt with the Superman crest outlined in red.

"We were just discussing how we all are entitled to our secrets," said Aqualad, "Our pasts are unimportant. It is our future as a team that we must focus on." There was a beeping noise and they all turned to see a large, holographic screen pop up.

"Approaching," said the computer as it opened several charts and maps on the screen, "Red Tornado."

"Ooh! Maybe he has a mission for us!" exclaimed Robin.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Kid Flash shot out of the room like a miniature hurricane, the rest of the team in tow. They reached the hangar and the Cave's secret entrance just as Red Tornado set down on the ground, carried by a swirling, scarlet funnel of wind.

"Greetings," said the android in a robotic voice, "Is there a reason you intercept me outside the cave?"

"We hoped you had a mission for us," said Aqualad, stepping forwards.

"Mission assignments are the Batman's responsibility."

"But it's been over a week!" exclaimed Robin, "We need-"

"Relax, boy wonder," said Naruto, folding his arms, "We don't want to go looking for trouble."

"Do not fear," Red Tornado assured them, "You will be tested soon enough. For the time being, simply enjoy each other's company."

"This team is not a social club," said Aqualad with a scowl.

"It's not?" Naruto blinked, "That was the whole point of sensei kicking me out!"

"I am told interaction is an important team-building exercise," said Red Tornado as he walked past them into the hideout, "Perhaps you can keep busy by familiarizing yourself with the cave."

"Keep busy!" hissed Kid Flash to the android's back.

"Does he think we're falling for this?" muttered Robin.

"Oh! I'll find out!" whispered M'gann and she narrowed her eyes at the robot's retreating form, "Ugh," she said after a moment, "I-I'm sorry, I forgot he's a machine, inorganic. I cannot read his mind."

"Nice try though," offered Kid Flash as he stepped in closer, "Know what I'm thinking right now?"

"We all know what you're thinking right now," chuckled Robin. Naruto scowled at Kid Flash as he mimicked the look at Robin.

"And now," sighed Aqualad, "We tour the clubhouse."

"Well, Superboy and I live here, and now Shinobi does too," said M'gann, "We can play tour guides.

"Shinobi just got here, and don't look at me," said Superboy defensively as all eyes turned to him.

"We won't," replied Kid Flash, "A private tour sounds much more fun."

"She never said private," Naruto muttered under his breath.

"Team-building," Aqualad nodded, "We'll all go."

M'gann smiled as she led them back into the cave. "This would be our front door and hangar," she said, "Down that way is the kitchen and bathrooms, bedrooms are over there, we have a rec room and gym down that hall there, I'm pretty sure that's a hologram room, but I'm not sure. The Cave is actually the entire mountain."

"It was hollowed out and reinforced by Superman and Green Lantern back in the early days of the League," explained Kid Flash as they entered the Cave's secondary hall, half-filled with an underground freshwater pool.

"Then why abandon it for the Hall of Justice?" asked Superboy.

"The Cave's location was compromised," explained Aqualad.

"And they traded it in for a tourist trap? Yeah, that makes sense."

"If the cave's location is know," M'gann though out loud, "Then we must be on constant alert."

"Agreed," Naruto nodded, "It's important that we protect-"

"The bad guys know we know they know about this place," said Robin, taking Ms. Martian's hand. He apparently was impervious to the deadly gaze Naruto was directing his way. That or it didn't quite have the same effect with only one eye. "They'd never think to look here."

M'gann looked confused until Kid Flash shot up next to her and whispered, "He means we're hiding in plain sight."

"Ah," she said, scratching her head, "That's much…clearer."

Superboy sniffed and frowned. "Is something burning?"

M'gann's eyes widened. "My cookies!" She shot off down the hall towards the kitchen. By the time the others caught up with her, she was using her telekinesis to lift a tray of burnt and blackened cookies out of the oven. She laid them on the counter sadly. "I was trying out Grammy Jones's recipe from episode 17 of…ah, heh, nevermind." She grinned at the others, trying to hide her slip-up. Naruto frowned slightly, but chose to ignore whatever it was. She was entitled to her secrets just as much as he was to his.

"I bet they'd have tasted great," Robin reassured her, "He doesn't seem to mind."

Kid Flash was munching away at the burnt treats. "What? I have a serious metabolism!" he said as he continued to eat.

"Don't worry," said Naruto, "I'll teach you to cook the greatest food known to man."

"Angel food cake?" guessed Robin.

"Instant ramen," Naruto grinned, "But close."

"Thanks, Shinobi," M'gann smiled at him.

"Out of costume, you can call me Naruto," he said with a warm grin, "Naruto Uzumaki."

"Call me Kaldur'ahm," said Aqualad, "Actually, my friends call me Kaldur."

"I'm Wally," said Kid Flash, leaning on the counter, "See, I already trust you with my secret I.D. Unlike Mr. Dark Glasses here," he motioned to Robin, "Batman's forbidden boy wonder from telling anyone his real name."

"Well mine's no secret," gushed M'gann, "It's M'gann M'orzz, but you can call me Megan. It's an Earth name. And I'm on Earth now." She grinned happily. Superboy scowled and started to walk away. M'gann gave him a sorrowful look and he suddenly swiveled around to face her.

"Get out of my head!" he shouted. Everyone turned to look at M'gann and she returned their looks with confusion.

"_What's wrong?_" M'gann's voice rang through Naruto's head and he clutched his skull at the sudden intrusion, "_I don't understand. Everyone on Mars communicates telepathically._"

"M'gann, stop!" commanded Kaldur, "On Earth, your powers are an extreme invasion of privacy."

"Oh," she said sincerely, "I'm sorry."

"Naruto, you okay?" asked Robin. Everyone turned to see Naruto shaking as he gripped the counter. His one blue eye looked almost like it was flickering between blue and red.

"Don't ever. Do that. Again." He said deadly carefully, staring directly at M'gann, "Clear?" The granite counter cracked under his knuckles.

"C-crystal," stuttered M'gann in surprise and fear. Naruto's flashing eye slowly calmed down and reverted to its normal blue state. He looked around at the others. They were all giving him looks he knew all too well. They were looks of fear, of misunderstanding and of uncertainty. They were the looks he had received from the villagers when he was growing up. He quickly broke their gaze and walked out of the kitchen.

"Dude," he heard Kid Flash whisper as he left, "That was granite! We don't have to pay for that, right?" He hurried back to his room.

As soon as he sat down on his bed, he let loose his rage on his pillow. After a few solid punches, he turned his anger inward. _Hey, furball!_

"**Mmm**?" yawned Kurama as he awoke, "**What is it**?"

_Where were you on that one, huh?!_

"**What are you talking about? What did I miss this time**?"

_M'gann just broke into my head! She could have met you! Everything I've tried to hide could be gone in an instant! I rely on you to protect me from exactly this kind of stuff!_

"**I just have one question**."

_Yeah?_

"**Who's M'gann**?"

_Forget it_. Naruto breathed deeply and calmed down. There was no real harm done. Obviously M'gann hadn't seen Kurama or any of his memories; otherwise she would have said something. Still, she need to be more careful.

There was a knock on his door. "Come in."

Superboy peeked his head in. "Hey, M'gann's taking us on a ride in her Bioship. You want in?"

"Bioship?" Naruto sighed, "Alright, sure." He got up and followed Superboy out of the room and to the hangar.

"So, you wanna talk about anything?" Superboy asked hesitantly.

"No." They walked the rest of the way to the hangar. Inside was a large, red, alien vehicle. It looked solid, but its door was almost liquid as it opened. Superboy ducked inside and helped Naruto in too.

Inside was cool and dimly lit. Everyone was seated at a long dashboard except for M'gann who was sitting in what appeared to be the captain's chair. "Oh good," she said as she saw the two boys take their seats, "We're all here. Red Tornado, please open the bay doors." Outside the windshield, the wall cracked as the hanger opened wide. With a slight hum, the Bioship lifted off the ground and shot forwards out into the open sky. Naruto felt his stomach flip as a weightless sensation overcame him.

"This is incredible!" exclaimed Robin, peering out over the ocean.

"She sure is." Naruto hunched his shoulders slightly as he realized Wally was talking about M'gann. "The ship, I mean," Wally quickly backtracked, "Because, like all ships, she's a she."

"Fast with his feet, not so much with his mouth," snickered Robin.

"Dude!"

Naruto opened his mouth to say something, but quickly shut it. Kaldur leaned over to him. "I may not be psychic," said the Atlantean, "But I know what you're thinking." Naruto arched an eyebrow skeptically. "You overreacted and you're not sure how to apologize." Naruto looked out the window in embarrassment. "Just say you're sorry."

"Easier said than done," muttered Naruto.

"Pride comes before the fall, my friend."

"It isn't pride that holds me back, it's the truth." Kaldur leaned back in his seat and stared in wonder at his new teammate. Just what secrets did he hold?

"Hey, how about showing us some of that Martian shape shifting?" challenged Robin. Everyone turned as M'gann stood up and slowly morphed into a female version of Robin. She spun and became a feminine Kid Flash.

"Is it wrong to think I'm hot?" he asked.

"Impressive," said Robin, "But not perfect. You aren't going to fool anybody with those."

"Boys are a lot harder to mimic," M'gann said sheepishly as she sat back down and reverted to her natural green-skinned form.

"And…your clothes?" asked Kaldur in amazement.

"They're organic, just like the ship," she explained. Suddenly, a burst of smoke bloomed where Naruto sat. Everyone stared at his seat as the smoke dispersed, revealing a perfect copy of M'gann in his place.

"Huh," said Naruto in M'gann's skin, feeling the fabric of her clothes, "Looks like I can't quite mimic it. Still feels like cotton."

"Dude! You can shape shift?" cried Wally as Naruto reverted back with a puff of steam.

"It's more like an illusion, but yeah, more or less it's shape shifting."

"Just how many powers do you have?" asked Robin in awe.

"A bunch," he replied with a shrug.

"I guess that's something we have in common," M'gann said with a subtle blush.

Naruto turned back to the window with a smile and Kaldur leaned in. "Creating a connection based on your similar powers," he whispered, "Not as straightforward as an apology, but very clever." Naruto grinned in response.

"Can you do that ghosting through walls thing like Manhunter?" asked Wally.

"Density shifting? No, it's a very advanced technique."

"Flash can vibrate his molecules through walls," joked Robin, "When Wally tries it? Bloody nose!"

"Dude!"

"I usually just go in through the door," said Naruto, making the team chuckle.

"Here's something I can do," M'gann said. Around them, the ship seemed to fade away completely, along with themselves. "Camoflauge mode!" she explained.

"Ooh! Perfect for late-night getaways, huh?" Wally winked.

"Red Tornado to Ms. Martian," a sudden robotic voice called over a communicator in the ceiling, "An emergency alarm has been triggered at the Happy Harbor Power Plant. I suggest you investigate covertly. I'm sending you the coordinates now."

"Received," said M'gann, all whimsy in her voice lost as she grew serious, "Adjusting trajectory."

Robin sighed. "Tornado's just keeping us busy again."

"Like you have anything better to do?" countered Robin.

"Um, guys?" said Wally, his face pressed against the window, "Remind me, are tornados common in New England?" Everyone looked up to see a giant, spinning wind tube right in front of them. M'gann grit her teeth as she tried to pull up, but it was too late. They were sucked into the massive vacuum and flung about like a rag doll. Luckily, everyone was strapped down, but the whiplash was terrible. M'gann quickly guided them out of the tornado and into a parking lot. Nearby was a large building that must have been the power plant.

M'gann opened a hole in the floor and everyone jumped out, landing on the pavement. As one they, they stared up at the massive tornado that ravaged across the building. Naruto and Robin shot forwards, nodding to each other as they reached the building and ran inside.

Almost immediately, they were thrown back against the far wall by violent gusts of wind. Naruto grunted as he hit the wall and crumpled to the floor. He looked up to see the rest of the team run in as well and stare at they're enemy. It appeared to be a person in a suit of high-tech armor. It was red with tubes of blue liquid pumping through its shoulders. Rags wrapped like a scarf around his head.

"Who's your new friend?" asked Superboy as he helped Robin to his feet.

"Didn't catch his name!" panted Robin, "But he plays kind of rough!"

"My apologies," said the villain in a synthesized voice, "You may refer to me as Mr. Twister."

"And Kent said my superhero name was stupid," grunted Naruto as he sat up. Mr. Twister formed twin tornados in his hands and sent them spinning at a charging Superboy. The young clone was sent wheeling back into the wall. Naruto ran around the villain and threw one of his kunai. It was thrown wild in the wind and ended up in the ceiling. "Not what I was hoping for," he said as he Hiraishined to it and stuck himself on the ceiling with chakra, "But I can work with it." He looked back to the floor as the others charged. Wally jump kicked at Twister, but he was thrown out into the grass beyond a loading dock. Kaldur and M'gann charged simultaneously and were blown away by two gusts.

Naruto saw his opportunity and dropped from the ceiling, kunai in hand. He landed the kunai into the skull of his opponent's armor, but only sunk in a centimeter or so before he was grabbed and tossed out next to Wally. "That's some thick battle armor," he muttered as he stood up and dusted himself off. Wally stood up next to him just as Twister came out of the building.

"What have you done to my team?" shouted Wally as he dodged a burst of wind.

"Your team?" said Naruto as he jumped to avoid a wave of air, "Since when is this _your_ team?" Wally glared at Naruto and Twister shot a tornado at him, lifting him up into the air and tossing him at the building. Naruto rolled his eyes and threw his kunai at Twister. It embedded itself in the villain's chest plate as Naruto ran after Wally.

"I got you!" cried M'gann as she and the rest of the team ran out. She grabbed him with her telekinesis and lowered him to the ground.

"You again?" said Twister, flicking Naruto's kunai behind him, "I would have thought you had learned your limitations by now."

"What do you want?" shouted Kaldur, electricity crackling up and down his arms.

"Isn't it obvious?" asked Twister, flying up in the air, "I'm waiting for a real hero."

"M'gann, read his mind!" shouted Kaldur.

"I thought I wasn't supposed to do that!"

"It's okay when it's the bad guys!" shouted Robin, "Now hurry!" M'gann focused for a second, but then her eyes widened.

"Nothing! I'm getting nothing!" she said, "Of course! Hello Megan! Mr. Twister is Red Tornado in disguise!" Everyone stared at her. "Think about it," she explained, "He's inorganic, and android! And how many androids do you know that can generate tornados?"

"Red Tornado sent us here," muttered Kaldur.

"After saying we'd be tested soon," barked Robin angrily, "This is his test! Something to keep us busy!"

"Speedy called it!" growled Wally, "We're a joke."

Kaldur pounded his fist. "This game is over!" he shouted.

"I agree," said Naruto, "But I'm not done yet. I aim to pass this test."

"What?" But Naruto was gone, Hiraishined to the discarded kunai. With a grunt of effort he jumped into the air after Twister. He grabbed onto twister's leg and scrambled up his body.

"You like playing games, huh?" he muttered as Twister tried to swat him off, "Play with this!" he drove the kunai into the android's shoulder, all the way to the hilt.

"Ah!" shouted Twister, "That hurts!"

Naruto blinked and closed his eye. "You're not Red Tornado, are you."

"You think I'm Tornado?" Twister laughed as he grabbed Naruto's leg, "Ironic." He tossed Naruto down to the others. M'gann caught him and lowered him to the ground. Just as he felt stable, Tornado hailed down a lightning bolt that struck the ground at their feet, sending them all flying backwards. Naruto groaned in pain as he landed hard. He looked up to see Superboy try one last charge at Twister, only to be thrown backwards by a second lightning bolt.

Naruto slowly reached for his eye patch as Twister gently floated down towards them. "Give me an excuse," he whispered to himself, "C'mon, do it." M'gann slapped her hand over his mouth. He quickly drew his hand away from his eye patch and glanced at her. She motioned with her head and he looked above them. The shimmering outline of the Bioship in camouflage mode hovered between them and Twister.

"Fine," said Twister impatiently, "I won't deny you children have power, but playing hide-and-seek with you will not help me achieve my objectives, so stay concealed for all I care. But know that if you fight me again, I will show no mercy." With that, he flew off into the sky, vanishing from sight.

"What just happened?" asked Wally as he sat up.

"I put the Bioship between us," explained M'gann, standing up.

Superboy punched a rock that had been dredged up by his fall. "And that's supposed to make it right?" he shouted, tossing aside his shredded jacket, "You tricked us into believing that was Red Tornado!"

"Calm down, Superboy," said Naruto, rising to his feet, "It was a rookie mistake. We all make them. It's fine."

"What's not fine is you jumping into the fray alone like that, Naruto," Robin said, stepping forwards.

"Yeah, you could have gotten us all killed with that stunt!" said Wally, shaking pebbles out of his shirt.

"I-I just wanted to-" Naruto started to protest.

"You're just too inexperienced with how heroes fight," said Kaldur sympathetically, "Hit the showers, you two. We'll take it from here."

"Stay out of our way," muttered Superboy gruffly as he walked off in the direction Twister had gone, Wally and Robin quickly joining him.

"I was just trying to be part of the team," said M'gann. Naruto turned to face her and saw pure heartbreak across her face. A single tear dripped down her cheek.

"To be honest," said Kaldur grimly, "I'm not sure we really have a team." He looked at Naruto and the blond nodded.

"We'll go home," he said, "C'mon M'gann, let's go." He helped the Martian to her feet and led her back into the Bioship as Kaldur ran after the others. They boarded into their seats in silence as they gently lifted off and flew out to the coast.

"Look," M'gann said sadly. Naruto glanced out the window and saw multiple tornados ripping through the small town of Happy Harbor. He grimaced and folded his arms.

"This is wrong. We should be helping them."

"We'd only get in they're way."

"I'm more powerful than all of them combined!" argued Naruto, "I don't-" he sighed and he could almost hear Kurama chuckling in his mind.

"**This is why you gave up so much power, kit**," he reminded his host, "**So you wouldn't become an arrogant prick**."

_Right, thanks._

"**No problem**."

"I know!" M'gann exclaimed, a smile returning to her face, "Red Tornado, do you read me?"

A hologram of the android superhero's face appeared on the windshield. "Affirmative. What can I do for you, Ms. Martian?"

"The team is fighting a guy with really similar powers to yours named Twister," Naruto quickly explained, "Ms. Martian couldn't read his mind, so we don't know who he is, but he wants to fight a 'real hero'. The team could really use your help."

"If I intervened, it would not be to help," replied the robot, "Still, it is an odd coincidence that this 'Twister' shares my elemental abilities and my immunity to telepathy."

Naruto looked down glumly. "Guess we're flying solo then, huh?" he said, "Back to the cave."

"Are you sure?" asked M'gann.

"Unless you've got a better idea."

M'gann thought for a moment before slapping her forehead again. "Hello Megan!" she cried out.

. . .

On the ground, the rest of the team was having their butts handed to them as Twister rampaged through downtown Happy Harbor, eventually coming to rest on the town green. Although the boys managed to land a few punches, they spent most of their time either trying to avoid the spinning attacks or getting thrown around like sacs of potatoes, wreaking the colonial buildings surrounding the green.

"_Everyone! Listen to me_," M'gann's voice cried in their heads.

"What did we tell you?!" roared Superboy as he tossed a boat engine at Twister.

"_I know!_" M'gann rushed, "_And Naruto and I know we messed up, but we're very clear on what we need to do now. Please, just trust us._" They were all silent as M'gann relayed her plan to them and their gazes met when she finished. They confirmed her idea with a nod and continued to dodge and weave the enemy attacks.

Red Tornado flew overhead and landed behind them as the citizenry was being evacuated. "Hit the showers, boys," he said, "I was hoping you could handle this. Clearly, you cannot."

"But we have a plan now!" protested Robin.

"The subject is not up for debate," said the robot, not accepting any disobedience from his command.

"I was beginning to believe you'd never show up," said Twister as the teens walked away. He called off his tornados and gently hovered over the ground in front of Red.

"I'm here now," replied Red. He raised his hand and generated a small tornado which he sent spinning at Twister. Twister dodged and countered with his own tornado that Red simply dispersed. "It appears we are evenly matched, Twister," observed the hero.

"No, Tornado," said Twister, raising his hands, "We are not." Twin bolts of lightning erupted from his palms and Red dodged to the side, the electricity barely missing him. Instead, it struck a boat that had been thrown ashore in the previous fight. The boat exploded in Red's face and he was sent flying. He landed with a thud as sparks caked his body.

Twister stood over him, watching the hero's prostrate form. "Remain still, android," he said, tiny wires shooting from his fingertips and embedding themselves in Tornado's head, "The reprogramming won't take long."

"Longer than you think," grinned M'gann as she morphed her head back to her own, although her body was still that of Red Tornado.

"What?" cried Twister in surprise.

"Rasengan!" Naruto rammed his attack into the villain's back, sending him reeling away with a large hole ripped into the back of his armor. Wally ran under the stumbling Twister and spun like a top, generating a tornado identical to the one Red Tornado had just made. Twister was pushed into the air just as Superboy jumped down on him, sending him crashing to the earth. He tried to stand up, but Superboy trapped his arm and began to beat on him. His armor began to implode from the Kryptonian punches and gas leaked from his shoulder. With a grunt of effort, Twister broke away from Superboy only for Robin to throw explosive shuriken in his chest. They detonated, throwing him into the harbor nearby. There, they could only watch as the water shook and the wharf vibrated from Kaldur's powerful, underwater barrages. Finally, he was tossed out of the water. M'gann caught him in midair and ripped the arms of the armor off before dropping him, bruised and broken on the ground. The team gathered around Twister as he sat up and clambered out of his armor.

"F-foul!" said the frail old man in the armor as he fell on the ground, "I-I call foul!"

M'gann rolled her eyes and used her telekinesis to rip up a large piece of Earth."M'gann!" cried Kaldur, his eyes widening as he realized what she was about to do, "No!" But it was too late. She brought down the rock hard on the old man, crushing him underneath. For a moment, the whole team was silent, eyes moving back and forth between M'gann and the rock.

"I don't know how things work on Mars," said Robin slowly, venom in his voice, "But on Earth, we don't execute our captives!"

"We don't?" said Naruto in surprise, "Well that seems rather ineffective."

"We. Don't. Kill!" shouted Wally in his face.

Naruto backed off, his hands raised defensively. "Alright, I got it. No killing, sheesh."

"And you said you trusted me," smirked M'gann. She lifted up the rock and they all gasped as they saw that the old pilot was just an android, made of gears and cogs. "That's why I couldn't read his mind," she explained as Wally grabbed a semi-crushed mechanical eye ball.

"Cool. Souvenir," he pocketed the eye ball and glanced at Naruto, "Hey, maybe we could make you a new, high tech eyeball with this stuff. You know, let you see through walls and stuff?"

"Thanks for the offer," said Naruto, "But I'm good."

"Suit yourself."

"We should have had more faith in you two," said Kaldur, put his hands on M'gann and Naruto's shoulders.

"Yeah, M'gann," said Wally with a grin, "You rocked this mission. Get it?" he pointed to the rock she had used, "Rocked!"

"Ignore him," Naruto whispered to her, "I think he thinks he's funny." She giggled and smiled at him.

"I for one am just glad we have you guys on the team," said Robin.

"Me two," agreed M'gann.

"I say we celebrate our first official victory as a real team," said Naruto, "Let's see if this town has a decent ramen place."

. . .

Later, they were all assembled in the main hall of the Cave. The remaining, crushed parts of the android were laid out before them and Red Tornado.

"It's almost like it was built specifically to fight you," observed Kaldur.

"Agreed," nodded the robot.

"Is that why you wouldn't help us?" asked M'gann.

"No," said Red Tornado simply, "This was your fight. I do not believe it is my roll to solve your problems. Nor is it your roll to solve mine."

"But if you're in danger," Naruto said, "Then-"

"Consider this matter closed," said Red Tornado, walking away down a hallway.

"Batman, Aquaman, and Flash," muttered Wally, "They'd have jumped right in to fix things."

"I guess if we're going to have a babysitter," said Robin, "A heartless machine is exactly what we need."

"Dude!" hissed Wally, "Harsh!"

"And inaccurate," Red Tornado called back, "I have a heart. Carbon-steel alloy. I also have excellent hearing."

"Right," said a flustered Robin, "Sorry…I'll try to, ah, be more…accurate in the future."

"And more respectful," Kaldur butted in.

"See that you do," said Red Tornado, turning away.

"Speedy was so wrong about this," smiled Wally as he headed towards the kitchen.

"This team thing might just work out," agreed Robin as he and Kaldur followed.

Superboy sighed and rubbed his shoulder. "I'm going to take a bath. They have a nice hot tub I've been wanting to try out."

"Sounds good," Naruto nodded as the clone walked off. Slowly, he turned to M'gann. He sighed and rubbed the back of his head, scratching an invisible itch. "Listen, M'gann, I…I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier."

"Oh!" M'gann looked at him, surprise on her face, "Um, thanks." She blushed slightly and quickly flew off. Naruto watched her leave before sighing in relief: she hadn't asked him why he had been so touchy about it. He cracked his neck and headed to his own room. There was something he wanted to check real quick.

_Yo furball!_

"**Mmm**?"

_Can I get some chakra?_

"**About time! What are we fighting? A giant? A hydra?**"

_No, I'm just trying to sense something._

"**Oh, alright then**." Naruto felt his body suddenly overloaded with demonic chakra. He took a deep breath and smiled as he watched his skin start to glow and become covered with orange-yellow fire. His clothes seemed to melt right onto his body as his fingers became sharp and his canines more defined. It was the first time in several months that he had entered his Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, but it felt like it had been years since he had held this kind of power. Still, he wasn't like this to fight. Naruto closed his eyes and sensed the life forces of those around him. He sensed the three sidekicks in the kitchen by their joy. Superboy was in the bathrooms and M'gann was lying on her bed watching TV. What he was looking for, however, was the tiny spark of life force that he could sense in Red Tornado's apartment above the main hall. It was small, but bright, like a tiny match surrounded by darkness.

Naruto smiled as he cut off the flow of Kurama's chakra. "Interesting," he said to himself, "Very interesting." He glanced up at his shelf and saw the scroll he had taken from his home dimension. Slowly, he drew out a kunai and tossed it at the wall. Before it even landed in the stone, he Hiraishined to it and grabbed it from midair. "Hiraishin," he murmured, "Second Step." He pocketed the kunai and took down the scroll. It was marked with a seal that held the kanji for 'Hokage'.

An image flashed in his mind. He saw a tall, busty young woman, her skin wrinkling and aging before his eyes, her blonde hair turning grey. "_Take it, Naruto! I officially declare you the Sixth Hokage of the Village Hidden in the leaves!_" Liver spots appeared on her forearms as she handed the scroll to him, her skin shrinking until her hand was mere flesh and bones. He quickly shook the memory from his head and opened the scroll slightly.

"Hmm, what to pick," he murmured to himself, "What to pick."

"**May I suggest that one? Very useful in combat, especially with a team to back you up**." Naruto quickly read over the one Kurama had suggested. It looked incredibly complex, but he nodded as he recognized just how much it would help the team as a whole.

"Very well, but somebody needs to update this scroll. They still list it as the Shadow Paralysis Jutsu."

. . .

Far away, three cloaked figures met on a hill in Ireland. "So," whispered one, "Is this the place?"

"Of course, dummy!" said another, "Otherwise, why would we be here?"

"This had better not be one of your tricks, brat," snarled the last one.

"Oh, shut up you old helmet head!"

"Quiet," said the first one, "The time approaches." They quickly formed a triangle with their hands and stood in an triangle. Each one equidistant from the other two.

"Remember," said the second one, "We don't need to drag anything through just yet. We just have to-"

"Pull it wider so it'll grow on its own," finished the other two dryly, "We know."

"Just making sure." In the center of their formation, a single spark burst from nowhere. Immediately, all three figures poured every ounce of magical, chaotic energy they had into the space between them. More sparks emerged and they each saw a brief glimpse of a swirling, black energy before an explosion threw them to the ground and out of formation.

"Did it work?" asked the first figure as he stood up.

"Oh, it worked alright," smirked the second figure, "Now all we have to do is wait."

. . .

Thanks for the reviews! Keep 'em coming!


	5. Drop Zone

Same disclaimers and italics as before

Chapter 5: Drop Zone

Naruto glared at the squirrel. He had been hunting it for a week in the woods surrounding the Cave and finally tricked it into a cage just the other day. Now, he and five clones sat in a circle around the cage in a clearing, each one focused on their training. The squirrel glared at all of them lazily and chewed on the bowl of nuts Naruto had given him.

"C'mon," hissed one of his clones, glaring at his shadow, "Move already!"

"Shikamaru always made this look easy," grumbled another one.

"Focus, boys," Naruto muttered, "The enemy is the rodent, not the shadow." The clones nodded and redoubled their efforts. They sat for almost an hour in total silence, pumping chakra into their shadows and willing them to move.

"**Why only five clones**?" asked Kurama once he was bored with watching his host struggle. "**You could have this thing down pat in a few days with a few thousand**."

_And alert everyone that the Cave has been reactivated? Batman would kill me_.

Kurama smirked. "**I hate that guy. I respect him, but I hate him**."

_Why?_

"**Oh please, kit. Don't tell me you haven't noticed**?" Naruto frowned. He had noticed. Robin had been sitting in a nearby tree, watching him for the better part of a day as he trained.

_You think he's watching me for Batman?_

"**Look at things from his perspective. A strange kid with unknown powers and training from Earth's most powerful sorcerer comes and asks to be a hero, saying only that he's from another dimension. Wouldn't you be a wee little bit suspicious**?"

_True, but since when have you been able to put yourself in other's shoes? Strategy and tact has never been your strong suit._

"**I've been inside three different Jinchurikki, I've been controlled by two fighting shinobi, and I was raised by the Sage of Six Paths himself. I've learned never to put all my cards on the table, kit**."

"Hey!" Naruto was broken out of his conversation by one of his clones. "I made it move! Check this out!" The clone in question dispersed and the others blinked as they absorbed his memories. Indeed, his shadow had flickered for a moment before making a slight bump outwards towards the trapped squirrel. They all mimicked his technique and chakra dispersion and indeed, their shadows slowly became longer.

"It's so slow," said a clone in disappointment.

"It'll speed up with practice," said another. The original Naruto's shadow was the first to reach the squirrel. The rodent froze in its tracks, a pistachio half in its mouth. Slowly, Naruto raised his right hand and the squirrel mimicked his actions perfectly with its paw.

Naruto canceled the jutsu and his clones dispersed. He winced slightly as their exhaustion hit him, but it was nothing he couldn't deal with. He got up and kicked open the cage. "Next time," he promised the squirrel as it shot out into the woods, "I'll catch you with your shadow." He raised his head to the late afternoon sun and smiled in content at the pink sky that lit up the horizon.

Suddenly, there was a beeping in his ear. "Cave to Naruto, over."

He groaned and put a finger to his ear. "Is there anyway we can make these earpieces more comfortable? Each time it turns on I feel like a spider is crawling in my ear canal."

"Get back to the Cave Naruto. Mission briefing in ten, over," said Batman, killing the connection. A smile broke across Naruto's face and he turned towards the cave. He slid into the entrance and Hirashined into his room. He slipped on his Shinobi uniform and wrapped the fox mask over his head.

M'gann was flying by as he stepped out of his room. "Hey, Naruto," she said, "Ready for our first League-given mission?"

"The question is, M'gann," he said with a grin, "Are the bad guys ready for us?" Together they made it to the Cave's main hall, where everyone else, including Batman and Red Tornado were already gathered.

"You're late," whispered Robin to them as they walked up behind him, "Batman hates lateness."

Kurama chuckled. "**Tell him you knew he was tracking you. That'll knock him down a few pegs**."

_Let him keep his dignity for now, I have a few ideas I've been meaning to try_.

Batman brought up a hologram map of an island. "Isla Santa Prisca," he said, "This island nation is the primary source of a dangerous and illegal neo-steroid. It's a strength-enhancing drug sold under the street name 'Venom'. Infrared heat signatures indicate the factory is still in operation, but shipments have stopped going out. That's where this team comes in." As he spoke, images flashed on the holographic screen of the factory and a few known criminals who worked there. "This is a covert, recon mission," said Batman, turning to the team, "Observe and report only. If the Justice League needs to get involved, it will." He returned to the hologram and brought the map of Santa Prisca back up. "The entry plan we've devised calls for two drop zones, here and here."

"So," said Robin, stepping forwards, "Who's in charge?"

Batman and Red Tornado looked at each other and back to the team. "Work that out amongst yourselves." Robin stepped back with a smirk. "Also," Batman walked to the wall where two silver briefcases lay against the stone, "We made these for Kid Flash and Aqualad." He handed the briefcases to the respective heroes. "Stealth-tech suits. Just press your respective emblems and you'll enter stealth mode."

"How come we don't get cool new gadgets?" Naruto asked, indicating back and forth between the four heroes without briefcases.

"For one thing, Robin's already been trained in espionage and stealth," Batman justified, "Superboy already wears black and Ms. Martian can turn invisible. You yourself told us that you could handle covert missions."

"True," grumbled Naruto, "But that doesn't mean I don't want new tech."

Batman glared at Shinobi and nodded his head to the team. "Further instructions and tools are already in the Bioship. Move out."

"Wally, Kaldur, get changed," Robin ordered, "Meet as at the Bioship ASAP."

"**Look at the little birdy**," cackled Kurama as Naruto walked with the others to the ship, "**He wants to be leader. Reminds me of you in a way. Both of you're too stupid to realize that being the leader sucks. Way too much responsicility**."

_Kurama, you've been with me for 17 years_. Naruto sat in a seat and belts cris-crossed over his chest. Wally and Kaldur ducked into the ship and M'gann took off with a grin.

"**So**?"

_So I know when you're trying to use reverse psychology._

Kurama groaned. "**Oh c'mon, kit! You've got enough power in your pinkie finger to crush all these clowns!**"

_Power does not give one the right to rule, Kurama. I thought you knew that._

"**Regardless, you're still the most apt to lead this team**."

_They've known me for less than a month. They would never trust me to lead them_.

"**Robin may have more experience as a hero, but you have more experience as a fighter. You're a natural born leader, kit. It's in your blood, literally. Look at kid brainless over there.**" Naruto glanced at Wally who was making googily eyes at M'gann. "**What do you see**?"

_I see a shameless flirt making a fool of himself._

"**Well that's a given. What else do you see**?"

Naruto mentally sighed. _I see a living distraction. Someone to be sent into a bad situation first. He can scout the area and be back before he's noticed. Even if he is noticed, he's fast enough to both draw and evade enemy fire, letting the rest of the team move forwards._

"**See what I mean? What about Super-whiner**?"

Naruto glanced at Superboy. The clone was gazing out the window at the clouds passing just underneath the Bioship. _He's a tank. Built for speed, strength, and endurance, but not so much for strategy. He's just a bomb to throw in the general direction of the enemy._

Kurama chuckled. "**That's what Cadmus thinks. Don't try to resist Naruto, what do you really think about him?**"

_He's a perfect shield, _Naruto conceded, _In a worst case scenario, he could escort the team out of danger and to a position we could hold. Then, he could lead us into the fight and turn the tide with a wedge formation._

"**And in a non-worst case scenario?**"

_Send him up against the bigger threats that only he can handle. Don't waste his talents and energy with minor foes that we can deal with._

"**This is what I'm talking about, Naruto. This team doesn't need an idealistic hero to lead them, they need a warrior.**"

_I'm not that warrior, Kurama. I can't teach them to be heroes._

"**You don't need to. You just need to teach them to be a team. And nobody does teamwork better than a former student of Kakashi Hatake**."

"Naruto?" Naruto blinked as he looked up at Robin, staring back at him with concern.

"What?"

"Are you okay?"

"Fine. Why?"

"Because M'gann's been trying to get your attention for the last ten minutes and you haven't even registered her." Naruto turned to look at M'gann. She was frowning nervously as she piloted the ship through the skies.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly, "I must be a little out of it,"

"Get your head in the game," snapped Superboy, "You'll hold us back if you're not with us 100%."

"Relax, Superboy," Kaldur intoned, "We have another half hour at least until we reach the first drop zone. Naruto has plenty of time to ready himself." He shot a pointed glance at Naruto, who nodded in understanding.

"Anyway," he continued, "What's up, M'gann?"

"I was just wondering what you've been doing the last few days," she said, "Superboy and I miss your dinners." For the past few weeks, Naruto had been introducing the other occupants of the Cave to the cuisine Earth shared with his home world. He treated them to sushi, dango, dumplings, pork ribs, and other dishes, always served with a large side of ramen noodles.

"Oh, just training," Naruto replied, "Been trying to diversify my arsenal. You know, flexibility in the field in all that."

"I can show you flexibility in other places, babe," Wally said from across the ship. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"**At the very least, make sure that kid isn't leader**," hummed Kurama, "**If you're serving him, I'm busting out of here**."

They flew for a while in silence. Finally, M'gann cleared her throat and broke the monotony. "Drop zone A in thirty."

Kaldur stood up and activated his stealth tech as M'gann made a hole in the floor of the cabin. "I'm ready."

"Putting Bioship in camouflage mode." The ship became transparent and Kaldur dove into the cold waters below. M'gann slowed the ship for a minute, drifting carefully over the shoreline.

"Heat and motion sensors are patched with a continuous loop," Kaldur said through the com-link, "Move in."

The ship picked up speed again as it flew over to the second drop zone. "Here we are," said M'gann as they all stood. She concentrated and hooked lines descended from the ceiling. Robin and Wally hooked the lines to their belts and Wally turned on his stealth tech.

"Jealous?" asked the speedster proudly.

"Very," muttered Naruto.

"Not me," said Superboy, crossing his arms, "No tights, no capes. No offense."

"Impressive," said M'gann, her clothes turning black and expanding to cover her whole body. She opened a larger hole in the ship and drifted down as Robin and Wally jumped after her.

"Why aren't you using the cable?" Naruto asked Superboy.

"Don't need it," he grunted as he leapt down. Naruto watched with a sad shake of the head as Superboy landed with a massive thud, making a crater underneath him and knocking the others back. Naruto Hiraishined to the clone's side. "Told ya," grinned Superboy.

"Debatable," Naruto countered, "Causing a seismic event doesn't exactly scream subtlety."

"You do things your way, and I'll do things mine."

"That's not how a team works, Superboy."

M'gann touched her ear. "Aqualad, drop zone B is a go."

"Head for the factory," Kaldur's voice rang in their ears, "I'll track your GPS ASAP."

"Rodger that," hissed Robin, "Let's move, team." He took off into the surrounding jungle, the others right behind him. They moved as shadows in the night, skirting through bushes and trees and around cliffs.

"You know, this place is actually kinda nice," said Naruto after a few miles, "It's like-"

Superboy shushed him abruptly. "You guys hear that?" he whispered.

Naruto frowned. _Kurama?_

"**On it.**"

"No superhearing, remember?" Wally motioned to his ears, "What's up?"

"There's something moving out there," Superboy murmured.

"What now, Robin?" M'gann turned to the boy wonder, only to find a vacant clearing where he had stood only moments before.

"**Kit, I'm sensing two groups of people moving towards each other a few hundred feet in front of you**."

"There are two groups ahead of us, but they'll meet each other before they find us."

Superboy stared at him. "How do you know that?"

"Call it intuition."

Wally lowered his goggles and they glowed red as he switched them to infrared vision. "He's right," he whispered, "Armed bozos at two and ten, fifty feet and closing." In the distance, they heard shots being fired from semi-automatics, the snapping noises echoing through the jungle.

"We'll swing wide," Naruto said, "Let them settle their own differences while we get in and out no problem. It's the perfect cover."

"Yeah, yeah," said Wally, "Let me just find Rob first."

"Kid Flash, no!" protested Naruto, but Wally was already gone, dashing through the forest looking for his friend. Naruto sighed. "Follow him with your thermal vision," he said to Superboy, "Tell us when he gets into trouble."

Superboy peered into the jungle and blinked. "He just slipped and fell in-between the two groups."

"Well that didn't take long;" growled Naruto, "Let's go save his sorry butt." Naruto, Superboy, and M'gann flew through the trees down to where the two groups were fighting and shooting at Wally. The speedster was desperately trying to dodge every single bullet that flew his way. "Superboy! Go cover KF!" shouted Naruto as he slid under a minion in a red cloak and tripped him up. The clone grunted and complied, jumping in front of Wally and taking the brunt of the bullets intended for him. Naruto jumped up and roundhouse kicked another minion that was shooting at him. "Ms. M! You take the ones over there, I got these suckers!" M'gann nodded and flew over to the other side of the clearing, where a giant of a man in a luchador mask was leading a bunch of military fodder.

Naruto turned back to the men in cloaks and made half a dozen Shadow Clones. As one, they charged into the patrol, punching and kicking. It took all of thirty seconds to disarm all of the men and knock them out. "Well that was no fun," Naruto muttered as his clones dispersed. He turned to see M'gann and Superboy fighting the giant while Wally ran back and forth between the remaining soldiers.

Robin dropped down from the trees on the giant and wrapped his arms around his neck. "What part of 'covert' didn't you people understand?!" he shouted angrily as he was tossed off. A burst of smoke covered the giant's head as Robin's tear gas grenade went off.

"Perfect!" hissed Naruto as he formed a clone. He leapt forward with his hand outstretched, an orb of blue energy in his hand. "Rasengan!" The attack landed squarely in the giant's abdomen and sent him wheeling back into a tree, unconscious.

"Why didn't you follow my lead?" asked Robin as he quickly began tying the unconscious soldiers of both parties to trees, "Disappear into the jungle!"

"Is that what you were doing?" demanded Wally, "Way to fill us in!"

"Silence, both of you!" Kaldur emerged from the jungle and ran up next to Naruto, "What's our next move?"

"The factory," Naruto decided, "The covert part of this mission is obviously a failure, but we can still leave with the intel we were sent to retrieve."

"Hey, I recognized those guys," said Robin, "The guy in the mask was Bane. He makes the usual venom. The guys in the cloaks are with the Cult of Kobra."

"I'm sure Batman would have told us if he knew this island was run by dangerous extremists," said Kaldur thoughtfully.

"Agreed," Robin nodded, "And since the cultists and Bane's goons clearly don't like each other, I'm guessing Kobra came in here and kicked out the regular suppliers."

"Which explains why their normal supply lines have been cut," M'gann interjected.

"So Kobra wanted some super cultists and took over the factory," said Wally, "Got it. Let's radio Bats and be back in time for-"

"These cultists aren't on venom," said Naruto, "These guys were too easy to take down. They must be hoarding the supply at the factory. Our work here isn't done."

"He's right, we can't leave," said Robin, "Not until I know why Kobra took over."

"Until _you _know?" asked Wally incredulously.

"This team needs a leader," said Robin with a shrug.

"And it's you? Dude, you're a thirteen year old kid who skipped out on us when we needed you!"

"And you're a mature fifteen?" chuckled Robin, "You blew our cover first chance you got!" The two continued to go back and forth while the others watched them.

"Don't you want to be leader, Superboy?" asked M'gann.

"Nah, you?"

"After the fiasco in Happy Harbor? Forget it. Besides, I think we all know who should lead this team."

"I know," said Naruto with a nod, "Kaldur's perfect for the job. He'll really bring out the best of us."

M'gann and Superboy shared a glance and Kaldur smiled. "As flattering as that is, my friend," he said, "I believe they were referring to you."

"What? No!" he exclaimed, "I'm barely a hero! I can't lead you guys!"

"Can you at least get them to shut up?" asked Superboy, jerking his thumb at Wally and Robin, still arguing.

Naruto sighed and walked over to them. He grabbed them each by the scruff of the neck and pumped chakra into his arms to lift them up over his head. "Will you two kindly shut up?" he growled, "Our host is waking up."

Indeed, Bane was shaking his head, trying to clear the fog in his mind. "Children," he said in a thick Spanish accent, "I was beaten by little _ninos_?"

Naruto dropped the two heroes and crouched down by Bane. "Talk, big guy. We know the cultists came in and kicked you out of your factory. Tell us what happened and why they need venom."

A slow smile crept across Bane's face. "Such a clever little _nino_," he said, "But Bane cannot be intimidated. Still, cut me loose and I'll get you into my factory via my secret entrance."

M'gann crouched down next to Naruto and concentrated. "There is a secret entrance," she said slowly, "But he's also hiding something."

"Ah ah, _chica_," Bane said with a smirk, "Bane is not that easy to break."

M'gann sighed and stood up. "He's reciting _futball _scores in _espanol_. This could take a while."

"It's not complicated," said Bane, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

The team shared a look. "Are we really considering this?" asked Wally.

"Hang on," Naruto turned back to Bane, "Do you know who I am, Bane?"

"Bane recognizes most of you _ninos_. That's Robin, Aqualad, and Kid Flash. I'm guessing the _chica verde_ is related to the Martian and the kid with the 'S' is Superman's little _nino_, but you are unfamiliar, _zorro_."

"Well get familiar with me," Naruto breathed, "My name is Shinobi, and I'm new around here. As such, I'm still adjusting a little to the no-killing rule. You remember that attack I used on you? That was at low power. At medium power, it could cause internal bleeding and mess up your organs. At high power, it'll drill a hole right through you. And you wanna know the scary part?" Naruto leaned in to whisper into Bane's ear. "Even at its most powerful, the Rasengan is still one of my weaker attacks." He pulled back and spoke loud enough to be heard by the others. "So, if you betray us or try anything funny, know that you won't have a chance to do it again. Understood?"

Bane's expression had gone from smirking to deadly serious. "You think Bane is scared of you, Shinobi? I am not afraid, but you have made it clear how serious you are willing to take this." Bane stood up and flexed his muscles, breaking the ropes that bound him. As everyone else took a step back and raised their fists in defense, Naruto gave a flourish and motioned Bane to lead on. The giant grunted and headed into the jungle, Naruto on his six and the others falling in line behind them.

Over the course of a half-hour, Bane led the team up a hill overlooking the factory. Robin crouched down and pulled out a pair of binoculars. "Look at all that product," he whispered as he surveyed the field next to the factory, "Looks like a buy is going down. But if they're not selling to the usual customers…"

He let the sentence hang and Naruto folded his arms. "This must be a custom order. Whoever's buying this had specific demands. We need to identify the buyer and what modifications they made to the venom."

"Just what I was thinking," Wally put forth.

"Yeah," Robin rolled his eyes, "You're the thinker."

"Sarcasm? Dude, a real leader would focus on getting answers."

Bane walked over to a large boulder and moved it aside with a grunt, revealing an entrance to a tunnel. "Answers are this way," he said as he started walking into the darkness.

"Oh great," muttered Wally, "So _El Luchador_ is our leader now?"

"To be fair," Naruto said as he walked past the speedster and into the tunnel, "He'd make a better leader than you."

"Oh, and I bet you think you should be leader," Wally said as he entered the cave along with everyone else.

"No, I don't want to be leader," Naruto replied simply. They walked for a bit through the tunnel until they reached a metal door. Bane pushed a button on the wall with his thumb and the door slid open. Beyond it was a massive warehouse of vats and pools of a red liquid Nartuo assumed was venom.

Robin peeked his head around the corner. "All clear," he whispered as he darted into the factory. By the time the other left the tunnel, he had vanished into the shadows.

"Has the little fool already been caught?" hissed Bane.

"No," sighed Kaldur, "He just does that."

"I'll go and scout the area and be back before boy wonder!" said Wally as he shot off into the factory.

"Kid, wait!" said Kaldur.

"No, let him go," said Naruto, "They'll find out what they're doing to the drugs while we find out about the buyer." He turned to Bane. "Which way to the hangar?"

"Follow me." They all crept behind Bane as he led them towards the loading docks. M'gann would float in front of them, invisibly checking corners before they moved forwards. "Here." Bane backed through a door and rolled behind a wooden crate in an open hangar. The others copied his movements and peered over their hiding spot. Near the door, Kobra cultists were moving the drugs in fresh crates out to the landing pad.

"It's a massive shipment," Kaldur noted. Indeed, crate upon crate upon crate was being brought out. There had to be at least thirty shipping containers worth.

"But they're only sending out new product," Superboy noticed, "They're ignoring the old stuff."

"I guess freshness counts?" M'gann thought aloud.

Superboy cocked his head to the side, his ear to the sky. "Helicopter's coming."

"Must be our mystery buyer," said Naruto, "Ms. M, fly out there and send us Aqualad a telepathic image." M'gann nodded and lifted herself over the crate, turning herself invisible as she did so. Naruto frowned as he noticed that she wasn't completely invisible, she left behind a trail of distorted air, like heat off a sidewalk in summer.

After a few moments, everyone could hear the distinctive chopping noise of helicopter blades. A minute later, a Blackhawk drifted lazily over the jungle and set down on the landing pad. Its doors opened to reveal a tall, muscular man with a grey hockey mask.

From beyond the hangar, a man in a red cloak approached him, accompanied by a skinny girl with red hair shorn onto one side of her head and a massive behemoth that made Dr. Desmond look like a bean chair.

Kaldur blinked and gasped. "The buyer is Sportsmaster," he said in a hushed tone. He put a hand to his ear. "Red Tornado, do you read?" After a moment, he sighed and brought his hand down. "Static. They must be blocking our radio. We need a plan. Now."

Bane grinned. "I have a suggestion." He flung himself over the crates and roared in primal rage. Immediately, he was swarmed by cultists and the party outside turned to see the commotion.

"Huh," said Naruto, "I'm beginning to like this guy." The monster that accompanied the man in the robes charged into the hangar and tackled Bane. "Superboy, help Bane, Aqualad, you and I will deal with the business men over there," Naruto delegated.

"And the cultists?"

A dozen Shadow Clones appeared behind the crates with them. "Leave that to me, myself, and I. Now let's move!" As one, they jumped over the crates. Superboy ran over to the wrestling giants and made to pull the monster off of Bane. Kaldur drew his water-bearers and formed twin scimitars. Around him, Shinobi's clones engaged the cultists and made a clear path for him and the original. As they ran through the battle, bullets hailed down on them from the catwalks above. Suddenly, the firing stopped and Naruto looked up to see all the cultist's guns wrapped into a metal ball floating above them.

"**Hmm, good girl**," smirked Kurama

_Shut up, furball_. A javelin flew over him headed towards M'gann. With a gunt, Naruto flipped a kunai into the air and threw it at M'gann as well. He Hiraishined to it and grabbed the Martian from the air just as the javelin exploded where she had just been.

"You okay?"

"Thanks," she said, getting to her feet, "I don't exactly like fire." Naruto grabbed her and swung behind a pillar as a burst of machine gun fire pelted the ground where they had stood. Glancing around the pillar, Naruto saw Bane nowhere in sight as Superboy and the mammoth went mano-a-mano and Kaldur hiding behind a shield made of water. Wally darted in from the shadows and sped between the cultists as they continued to fire.

"Radio's down," Naruto said to M'gann, "Can you link us up mentally?"

"Sure thing," she raised her hand, but Naruto grabbed her wrist.

"Be careful in here," he said, pointing to his head. M'gann nodded and he released her arm. She put a finger to her temple and focused.

_Everyone online?_

_Yeah,_ grunted Superboy.

_You know it, beautiful, _said Wally.

_We need to retreat_, called Naruto.

_Little busy now,_ replied Robin. Naruto looked up to see him on the landing pad, about to go against the man in the cloak and his female assistant.

_Robin_, Naruto called, _Retreat now!_

_Fine!_ Robin threw down a flash grenade and disappeared from sight. Naruto grunted as he grabbed M'gann and took a running jump up the pillar. "Kid, clear a path!" he shouted as he began to run on the ceiling, M'gann flying below him. Wally raced through the cultists, brushing them aside for the others. They quickly made their way back to the tunnel, the beast and a few cultists still on their tail. Naruto grimaced. "Superboy! Aqualad! Bring this thing down!" Superboy knocked over a support beam as he ran and Aqualad cut down another with his water-bearers. Almost instantly, the tunnel collapsed behind them, cutting them off from the cultists.

They stopped running and listened closely. They could hear the cultists talking beyond the stone. There was a loud grunt which they took to belong to the beast and the voices silenced. The distinct sounds of footsteps slowly disappeared as the cultists left the cave. Kaldur drew out a glow stick and cracked it to life.

Robin turned away from the others. "How could this happen?" he said softly, "My first mission as leader goes so wrong."

"You have the most experience," said Kaldur, "But that can be a detriment. With Batman, you have defined roles. You do not have to speak with one another. But this team is new. Our leader must be clear, not disappear and expect us to play a part in their unknown plans."

"Oh, so it's my fault?" snapped Robin, spinning around, "I'm supposed to hold everyone's hand?"

"Enough," said Naruto. Everyone turned to look at him as he took off his mask. "Listen to yourselves," he said quietly, "You fight for the position of leader like you think that it will make you seem superior to the others, but it won't. Being the leader of anything makes you responsible for every mistake, every short coming. If someone gets hurt or dies under your watch, you share in the responsibility. Do any of you think you could do that?" He looked them all in the eyes one by one, each one cringing under his gaze. "I didn't think so," he said with a sigh as he put his mask back on, "I used to think that if I was a leader, everyone would be forced to accept me and recognize my power. Now I know better. Being a leader means that you must defend those who follow you at all costs."

Naruto shuddered as a flash back drone through his mind. He was standing on a floating platform in the middle of empty space. On either side of him were two spinning black holes, vortexes into another world. On one side were his teammates and their prisoner. If he went with them, they could all go home together. If he went through the other hole, he would save the lives of everyone he had ever known. Naruto quickly shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Even their own life."

"Who are we kidding," said Robin with a sigh, "You should be leader, Naruto."

"What?" he said, "No! That's not what I was trying to say at all!"

"I agree," said Kaldur, "You are a warrior, Naruto, I put my faith in you to lead us in battle and see us out safely."

"Look, guys I'm flattered but-"

"Oh, c'mon Naruto," said Superboy, "You're the most powerful, the smartest, and you clearly have more battle experience."

"You already treat us like a team," said M'gann timidly, "If anyone has the right to lead us, its you." Everyone turned to stare at Wally.

"Okay," he said, putting his hands on his hips.

Naruto sighed. "**What did I tell you, kit**?" Kurama sniggered, "**I should've put some money on it or something**."

"Fine," Naruto conceded, "I'll lead you. For now."

"So what's our next move?" asked Kaldur.

"We have to stop the shipment from leaving the island. I don't know who this Sportsmaster guy is, but apparently he's working with Kobra. Robin, KF, did you find out anything about the venom?"

Robin brought up his wrist computer and showed the team holographic schematics. "They somehow got their hands on the Blockbuster formula from Cadmus. By mixing it with venom, they make Kobra Venom. It's three times more powerful and permanent."

"Yeeeeaaaah, we can't let anyone have that," said Superboy grimly.

"The good news is I sabotaged their helicopter," said Robin proudly, "Bought us some time."

"Good work. Now first things first, let's get out of this tunnel." Naruto ran off towards the exit, the others in tow.

"There's still something I don't get," said Robin, "Sportsmaster doesn't have the kind of pull to get his hands on the Blockbuster serum, or to get Kobra working for him."

"And neither has the scientific know-how to mix them properly," added Wally, "That takes major nerdage."

"Look underneath the underneath," said Naruto, "But not right now." He skidded to a halt at the mouth of the cave. "We have more pressing problems right now."

Bane stood before them, a small detonator in his hands. "Halt, _ninos_," he said with a smile, "I'm feeling…explosive." Naruto glanced up and groaned as he saw blinking lights surrounding the entrance to the cave.

"Let me guess, C4 on timed bombs plus a dead-man's detonator?" _Wally, get ready to grab the detonator. Robin, tie him up as fast as you can. Superboy, knock him. Move on my mark_.

"You've got a good eye there, Shinobi," said Bane.

"You don't know the half of it. So why exactly are you betraying us, even though I explicitly told you it would have consiquences?"

"I want my factory back," Bane shrugged, "So I forced you into a situation where you would either destroy my enemies for me or die trying. Your deaths would call the Justice League here and they'd do the job. Either way, I win. Blowing the tunnel with you inside," he raised the detonator with a smile, "Should have the same effect."

"Go ahead then," said Naruto, "What are you waiting for?"

"Someone does not fear the devil," said Bane with a twinkle in his eye, "Bane commends such bravery." His thumb lifted up and was about to be brought down on the trigger when he stopped moving. As much as Bane forced his thumb down, it refused to obey his commands. "What the-?"

"Shadow possession, complete," said Naruto, his hands raised in a seal, "Go!" Wally dashed forwards and plucked the detonator from Bane's hand. Robin threw a bolo at him and Superboy cracked his knuckles with a grin. "Finally," he smirked as he punched Bane in the temple. Naruto dropped the jutsu and collapsed on the ground.

"How did you do that?" asked M'gann in awe as she helped him sit up.

"I…told you," he panted as he took of his mask, "I've been…training." He slumped on the ground. "Wow, that took…a lot more out of me…than I thought it would. I'll have to…work on that."

"Bane's down," said Robin, "So what now?"

"Gimme a sec," said Naruto as he forced himself to his feet. He looked up at the stars and a slow grin appeared on his face. "Someone kiss Bane for me."

Everyone looked at each other in confusion. "Um, what?" asked Wally.

"I want to thank him," Naruto explained, "But I don't want to have to kiss him myself."

. . .

Naruto peered through the bushes at the helicopter. The cultists were loading the last of the Kobra Venom into the cargo hold and Sportsmaster was speaking with Kobra. _Everyone ready? We all know the plan?_

_Good here, Naruto._

_All set._

_Let's do this!_

_Alright,_ called Naruto, _Wait for it_. The very last container was placed in the hold. _Now!_ Wally ran out and kicked the cultists away from the helicopter. As they began to shoot at him, Superboy slid out in front of the chopper.

"Ready for round two, big guy?" he asked as Kobra's monstrous bodyguard approached him. A wall of water smashed into the beast from the side and sent him flying. "Sorry, not part of the plan." Kaldur ran out from behind him, tossing more water at the beast and the thin woman who went to his aid. Naruto ran past them and to the door of the cargo hold. He ducked just in time to miss a shot from Sportsmaster's gun and quickly backpedaled. He jumped from empty crate to empty crate as more shots whizzed past him. Suddenly, Sportsmaster flipped backwards and wrapped his arms around seemingly nothing. Then the air shifted and it was revealed he had M'gann in his grasp.

Naruto's eyes narrowed and he dove forwards. As shots followed him, he rolled until he shot up right in front of Sportsmaster. He grabbed the villain's gun and ripped it from his hands. Sportsmaster pushed M'gann in front of him and ran back into the helicopter. "Well, thanks for the workout kiddies," he said, "But I gotta fly." He dove into the pilot's chair and the blades of the helicopter began to rotate. Naruto pulled M'gann back as he took off and headed for the horizon.

"Now?" she asked, holding up the detonator.

"Show us the fireworks," he said with a grin. She pressed the trigger and the bombs she had dropped in the helicopter went off. It wavered in the air for a moment as its back half was ripped off before it began to fall back towards them. "Uh-oh," said Naruto with a grin as he watched it fall into the factory, causing both to explode in a massive fireball, "Did we do that?"

There was a cry and Naruto looked over to see Robin on the ground before Kobra. Without his cloak, Naruto could see he was a very fit bald man with nearly albino skin tone. As the others gathered to fight Kobra as one, Naruto tossed a kunai near him and Hiraishined next to him. Kobra recovered from his surprise instantly and swung a kick at Naruto's head. Naruto flipped the kunai into the air and Hiraishined with a golden flicker only a foot above Kobra's attack. "Hiraishin: Second Step!" he cried as he grabbed Kobra's leg and flipped him into the air. Naruto spun and slammed his foot into Kobra's stomach, sending the cult leader into the ground. Before he could recover, however, Robin finished him with a swift kick to where the sun never shone. Kobra reflexively yelped in a very un-godly manner and spun backwards into the trees. He shot one last glare at Naruto before he sank into the shadows of the jungle.

Robin ran over to the trees where he had vanished, but pulled back with a grim smile. "He's gone."

"Let him go," said Naruto, "We've fulfilled the mission parameters, albeit in our own special way."

"We picked the right guy to lead," said Robin with a smirk, "Automatically making you the right guy to explain this mess to Batman."

"Let me handle him," Naruto said with a wave of his hand, "I have guy on the inside who's been waiting to say a few things to Batman."

. . .

"A simple, recon mission," said Batman, staring at the team angrily, "Observe and report." They stood in a line with their heads hung. Except for Shinobi, he not only kept his mask on, but had his head held high. "You'll each receive a written evaluation detailing you many mistakes," Batman said as he walked up and down the line, "Until then…Good job." All except Shinobi looked up in surprise and turned to him. "No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy," he said, "How you adjust to the unforeseen is what determines success, and how you choose your leader shows character. You're all dismissed."

As they started to walk away, Naruto cleared his throat. "So, should I expect my thank you in a hallmark greeting card or a boost in my allowance?" The team stopped and stared at Naruto in shock.

Batman slowly turned to face him. "What?"

"I'm just saying, I don't need to be paid for doing you a favor, but recognition of my work is appreciated."

"You failed in your overall mission, Shinobi," said Batman, "Don't let the fact that your teammates made you leader go to your head."

"Oh, I won't," said Naruto with a chuckle, "Believe me, I know the dangers of hubris. And I know full well the mission was a failure. But there's always a silver lining."

"And what was the silver lining here?"

"We destroyed Bane's venom factory," said Naruto smugly, "Not sure why you didn't do it yourself, really. I did a little research on the way back here and I found out that, shocker, a good 90% of Bane's street dealers operate in and around Gotham. With the regular supply lines down and now fresh product coming in for, oh I'd say, at least six months, half the druggies in Gotham will have kicked the habit by the time the lines re-open. Bane just lost a significant payroll, and we just made crime-fighting in one of the most crime-ridden cities in the world a lot easier. So, given these facts, I think a thank you is in order." He folded his arms and stared down Batman from behind his mask.

Batman's eyes narrowed. He knew Naruto's eyes were blue, but for a moment, he could have sworn they were a rich red under his mask. "Thank you," he said slowly.

"No problem," Naruto started to walk towards his room, "Oh, and maybe you should spy on me yourself next time. I think Robin was starting to get bored watching me train." As he walked through the Cave's hallways, Kurama returned control of Naruto's body to its owner.

_Was the bit about Robin really necessary?_

"**I couldn't resist. Thanks again for letting me go off a little on the flying rat**."

"Naruto!" Naruto turned and took off his mask as M'gann flew towards him, "You were planning to destroy the factory all along, weren't you?"

"Of course. The fact that we killed two birds with one stone just made the job easier _and_ made it look like an accident."

"Oh," she said with a slight blush, "Cool." She flew away and veered hard around the corner as Naruto stepped into his room.

"**She's pretty**."

_Shut up._

"**I'm just saying**."

_And I'm saying shut up._ He sat down on his bed and arched his back. _The Shadow Possession Jutsu, so useful, but so draining. If I didn't have you, that would have completely destroyed my chakra reserves._

"**The more you use it, the more natural it'll get, the less chakra it'll use. It's like a muscle; you just have to work it out a bit**."

_Tomorrow_, Naruto lay back and closed his eyes as his exhaustion overcame him.

. . .

Sportsmaster stepped in front of the series of lit screens that made up the Light. "All I recovered was a single ampoule," he said, holding up a vial of Kobra Venom.

"Perhaps ve could reverse engineer it," said a voice with a heavy French accent, "But more pressing iz ze matter of ze children."

"First Cadmus, then Mr. Twister, now Santa Prisca," said another, "Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, but three times is enemy action."

"Is there any news of help from beyond?" asked one.

"More rifts are opening and more frequently," said a fourth, "Nothing's come through yet, but it'll happen sooner or later."

"And then we'll make them allies, for enemies of the Light cannot stand."

. . .

Thanks for the reviews! Keep 'em coming!


	6. Schooled

Same disclaimers and italics as before

Chapter 6: Schooled

Naruto panted as he stumbled out of the nursery. His skin shone with sweat and he had bruises up and down his limbs. "Ow," he groaned as he staggered into Kent's study, "Ow. Ow. Ow."

Kent smiled, but kept his eyes on the grimoire in front of him. "They like it when you visit. They can't play with me like they do with you."

"I'm glad _they_ enjoy it," Naruto muttered as he collapsed into an overstuffed armchair.

"Listen kid," Kent sighed as he closed the book and replaced it on the shelf, "We need to talk about that little project you had concerning the cubs."

Naruto rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Yeah, there's no way I can make jinchuriki superheroes. As far as the Justice League computer database knows, I'm the only person on the planet with a viable chakra network."

"So what are your plans with the little hellions?"

"They can still be used to defend the planet. They can be set up across the globe as defensive forces of nature that save lives from natural disasters or something."

"That's a good idea."

"I've also been thinking of drawing up a summoning contract with them."

Kent stared at Naruto in surprise. "But…but they're just kids!"

"I know," Naruto said, draping an arm over his face as he leaned back in the chair, "I won't actually use them in battle, it's just good to know the team has backup when it needs it."

"Very well," Kent conceded, "So long as you know not to use them indiscriminately. Do you know how to make one."

"In theory. I'm there has to be a few books or scrolls in the tower about it."

` Kent laughed. "Kid, the Tower of Fate is the magical center of the multiverse. The collective mystic information of every feasible universe in existence is housed in its libraries. I managed to compile this study based on books I would need on a regular basis. If you really wanted to, you could spend a lifetime looking for books on summoning contracts."

"Well I don't have a lifetime," mumbled Naruto, "You must have some kind of filing system. You used to host a Lord of Order after all."

"True," Kent admitted, "Nabu used to keep things nice and orderly around here."

"Until you stopped being his avatar," Naruto finished, "Right, right. You think the entire library has fallen into disarray?"

"Undoubtedly," said Kent, "That being said, I'll see what I can dig up. In the meantime, why don't you head back home? I think I may need some time to myself."

Naruto lifted his arm and looked to Kent with concern. "Everything all right, Kent-sensei?"

Kent turned and looked up at the portrait of his wife that hung over the fireplace. "Today is…was…my anniversary." In the flickering light of the fire, it almost looked like Inza winked at him from the painting.

"I'm sorry, Kent-sensei," Naruto said reverently as he stood up and put a hand on Kent's shoulder, "I'll leave the day to you." Naruto Hiraishined to the Zeta Tube in Boston, an abandoned photo booth in an alley. He stepped in and the computer recognized him, sending him back to the Cave in a flash of light. As he stepped out of the tube, Kaldur and Wally were playing holographic air hockey on the projection floor with Robin and M'gann watching.

"What's this?" Naruto asked as he stepped forwards.

"Hey Naruto," M'gann greeted, "We were just playing this Earth game."

"Yeah man, check it out," Robin motioned him forwards and Naruto joined them, "You have to try and knock the puck into the other person's goal." He explained as Wally demonstrated.

"Hard to win against a guy with super speed," said Wally with a grin as he scored the winning point.

"Then maybe you'd be better suited at a game of wits," Naruto smirked.

"What do you mean? I'm the wittiest person on this team."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Computer, bring up a chessboard."

Wally laughed as the air hockey table dispersed and a giant chess game was brought up instead. "You realize I'm a scientist."

"So?"

"So I'm really smart, duh."

"Then you shouldn't have a problem." Naruto moved a white pawn forwards and Wally countered with a lazy smirk. They played on in neutrality for some time, quickly setting up their board states, all the time with Wally keeping a sleek grin and Naruto focused completely on the board in front of him. The trouble began when Naruto snatched one of Wally's knights with a pawn. "First blood, Wally, your move."

Wally frowned slightly and avenged his knight with a bishop. A few turns later, Naruto had moved his pawn aside and took his bishop with a rook. Wally set up a poisoned pawn, but Naruto shot his rook forwards and put Wally's king in check. Wally took the knight, but opened up his rook, knight, and bishop to be taken by Naruto's queen. Wally moved his king out of the way just in time to avoid checkmate and Naruto grimaced. Wally was starting to sweat and his eyes darted to and fro across the checkered board.

"How are you doing this?" he muttered in amazement, "My reaction time is a tenth of the average human's! I have over fifteen thousand thoughts per minute!"

"And that's your problem. Check." Naruto shifted his second rook, "You have so many thoughts running through your head, you can't focus properly on the matter at hand. You need to be able to organize your mind."

"Maybe M'gann could help me with that," Wally said hopefully as he moved out of check. M'gann rolled her eyes.

"In battle, you can't afford to be distracted. Check." Naruto ignored Wally's flirtations, "You're our fastest player. In case of an emergency, we need you to be able to react first. If you're not constantly prepared or distracted from the matter at hand, you risk losing everything."

"But we're not on a mission right now," Wally pointed out as he blocked Naruto's check with his last knight, "We're playing chess."

"We're superheroes Wally," said Naruto, "We're always on a mission. Checkmate." Wally stared at his king and slapped his forehead in defeat as Kaldur and Robin clapped. M'gann simply smiled.

"**Shikamaru would be proud, kit**," Kurama mumbled sleepily.

"Again!" Wally challenged.

Naruto grinned. "Your funeral."

The Zeta Tube activated and Superboy entered the Cave with a burst of light. "Hey, Superboy," M'gann greeted as he walked briskly towards the group, "How was Metropolis?" Superboy grunted as he walked through the chessboard hologram and it faded away.

"Aw, dude!" Wally complained, "I was about to redeem myself!"

From one of the hallways, a throat cleared. "Ready for training, everyone?"

They all turned and M'gann squealed. "Black Canary! Uncle J'onn!"

She ran forwards and hugged her uncle. "M'gann," he said kindly, "I was in the area and wanted to see how you were doing."

"A few bumps," she admitted, "But I'm learning."

"That's all I can ask for." Naruto breathed deeply and looked at his feet. He took a moment to ponder how his life would have been different had his parents been alive to raise him. He glanced to the side and saw Superboy turn away.

"**What's his beef**?"

_He just came back from Metropolis. Maybe he had a bad run in with Superman. I haven't exactly seen the man of steel around the Cave helping him out_

"**Eh, whatever. I'm going back to sleep.**"

Superboy started to leave and Naruto decided he didn't want to stay either. "Stick around," called Black Canary. Naruto and Superboy stopped and turned. "Class is in session." She walked to the center of the projection pad and it illuminated beneath her feet. "I consider it an honor to be your teacher," she said as she started to take off her jacket, "I'll throw a lot at you. Everything I've learned from my own mentors," she winced as she stretched a bandage that wrapped around her arm, "And my own bruises." Intrigued, Naruto walked back over to the others, but Superboy stayed by the entrance to one of the hallways, watching Canary's presentation with a look of disinterest.

"What happened?" asked M'gann in concern.

"The job," Canary tossed away her jacket and the question, "Now, combat is about controlling conflict. Putting the battle on your terms. Always act, never react. I'll need a sparing partner."

"Ooh! Me!" called Wally, "After this, I'll show you my moves." He offered with a cheeky grin. Canary smirked and adapted a fighting stance that Wally mimicked. She swept his legs out from under him and he fell to the ground in seconds flat. "Oh," he groaned, "Hurts so good."

"Can anyone tell me what he did wrong?" Canary asked, ignoring Wally as he stood up.

"Oh! I know!" said Robin, "He hit on teacher and got schooled!"

"Dude!"

Canary rolled her eyes. "He allowed me to dictate the terms."

"Oh please," snorted Superboy, "With my powers, the battle's always on my terms. I'm a living weapon."

"That's Cadmus talking, Superboy," said Naruto stepping forwards, "I may not have a lot of experience as a hero, but I have plenty of experience with battle and I agree with Canary. If Wally had his head on straight," he glared pointedly at the speedster, "Canary would've been on the ground before she could blink."

"Oh?" Canary raised an eyebrow, "Is that a challenge, Shinobi?"

A grin slowly crept onto Naruto's face. "And if I said yes?"

"Then I would have to fight you for my honor's sake."

"Then I think we both know the answer." Canary sneered and adapted a stance. Naruto flexed his fingers and brought them up as if he were grabbing a football. Canary struck first, but Naruto back flipped out of the way. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Two clones popped into existence and charged and Canary. She blocked their twin roundhouse kicks and punched one in the stomach, destroying it. The other backed off and adapted a defensive pose. Canary leapt forwards and the clone blocked her first strike, but didn't see her knee come up and nail him in the amdomen. He grimaced before disappearing in a fog of smoke.

"Are you done hiding behind clones, Shinobi?" she asked as she straightened up. She turned and saw Naruto sitting on the floor in a meditative pose, with his fists together and his eyes closed.

"Yes," he said as he opened his eye, "I believe they bought me enough time." Canary took a step back as she saw his iris had turned a vivid orange and his pupil had stretched and elongated horizontally. There was a vague orange pigmentation over his eye as well.

"I see," Canary said slowly as she adapted a defensive stance, "You used your clones to distract me while you focused your power to achieve some kind of elated state, is that right?"

"Very astute," Naruto grinned, "This is my Honored Sage Mode. In this form, you have no chance of beating me."

"Oh really," Canary arched an eyebrow, "Well if you can use your powers, than I suppose it's only fair that I use MINE!" She unleashed a burst of her sonic scream and everyone in the room covered their ears in pain. Naruto just smiled and walked towards her calmly. She closed her mouth and scowled. "You can counter my powers?"

"Sage Mode allows me to create a barrier of natural energy around my body," Naruto explained, "It's not exactly a perfect defense, but it appears your sonic powers work by alternating the frequency of said natural energy so I can block it entirely." Naruto leapt forwards and swung a fist at Canary's head. It was an easy dodge and Canary leaned her head back as it passed. Her eyes widened when she felt the force of the punch hit her cheek and was sent tumbling to the floor in shock. "Good fight," Naurto said as he offered her his hand.

"I dodged your attack," she said as he helped her to her feet, "How did you hit me?"

"Frog Kata."

"Excuse me?"

"It's a technique I can only use in Sage Mode. The natural energy around my fist moves with it, making it almost impossible for me to miss my target."

"See? That's what I'm talking about," said Superboy, "Naruto won because he was more powerful."

"What?" Naruto looked at Superboy incredulously, "That's not what I was trying to prove at all! I saw how she beat Wally and I knew I couldn't beat her hand-to-hand combat. So I distracted her with clones to give me time to enter my Sage Mode which allowed me to put the conflict on my terms with Frog Kata. I beat her through control, not strength."

"That's not how I saw it," sneered Superboy, "This is a waste of my time."

Canary narrowed her eyes at the clone. "Prove it." Naruto backed away as Superboy took his place.

"That was amazing, Naruto!" whispered M'gann as the fighters adapted stances.

"Yeah, why don't you use that Sage Mode all the time?" asked Robin.

"It's really only usable in one on one situations," Naruto explained, "I have to be perfectly still to mix my chakra with natural energy. It's hard to be still in the middle of a battle or if you have group to work with." They stopped talking as Superboy was tossed across the room with a grunt. Robin started to laugh as he saw Superboy's prostrate form, but Kaldur elbowed him in the ribs.

Superboy rolled to a crouch and growled at Canary. "You're angry," she observed, "Good, but don't react. Channel that anger to-" She was cut off by Superboy charging her with a roar. She flipped over him and knocked his feet out from under him.

"That's it!" he growled as he knocked away her helping hand and stood up on his own, "I'm done!"

"Training is mandatory," she said with a sigh. Superboy rounded on her and it looked like their fight would continue, but a beeping interrupted them. A holographic screen was brought up with Batman's face on it.

"Batman to Cave," he said as they gathered around the screen, "Five hours ago, a new menace attacked Green Arrow and Black Canary." Everyone glanced at Canary who massaged her wounded arm. "The attacker was capable of analyzing and duplicating the powers of his opponents. Arrow called in reinforcements which nearly proved disastrous as our foe gained more and more power with each new combatant."

"Whoa," murmured Wally, "One guy with the power of the entire League?"

"In the end, it took eight Leaguers nearly four hours to defeat and dismantle the android." Batman finished.

"Android?" said Robin, "Who made it? T.O. Morrow?"

"Good guess," said Batman, "But Red Tornado doesn't think so."

"The technology," intoned Martian Manhunter beside them, "It bears the signature of Professor Anthony Ivo."

"Ivo?" gasped Kaldur, "But Ivo's dead!"

"So we thought," said Canary grimly, "Or hoped."

"Okay, wait. Hold up a second," Naruto rubbed his forehead in frustration, "Who is T.O. Morrow? Who is Ivo? What do they have to do with this?"

"Oh, right," said Wally, "Other dimension. Forgot."

"In the world of evil geniuses, T.O. Morrow and Anthony Ivo are the biggest names there are," explained Robin, "T.O. Morrow built a bunch of robots to infiltrate the League and destroy it from the inside out and Ivo, well; he just makes robots and tries to take over the world."

"Right, got it. Continue."

"To make certain this threat is permanently neutralized," said Batman, "We're sending two trucks each with half of the robot's parts to two separate Star Labs facilities in Boston and New York." A map appeared showing the truck's route and the team nodded in understanding. "Every precaution is being taken," continued Batman, "We'll have four trucks acting as decoys in case Ivo, or anyone, tries to recover the remains. You will split into undercover teams to safeguard the two real trucks."

"Yes!" cheered Wally, "Road trip!"

"So now we take out your trash?" hissed Superboy.

"You had something better to do?" Batman challenged.

"Alright team," Naruto stepped forwards, "Let's move."

. . .

An hour later, the team was assembled on motorbikes in civilian clothes as the sun was setting. Around them, the League was packing the disassembled robot into the two real vans while the others stood on standby.

"Free bikes," Wally grinned as he massaged the fuselage of his bike affectionately, "Is this cool or what?"

"Yeah," said Superboy, "But why does mine have a sidecar?" Indeed, his bike had a spacious and large sidecar attached to it.

"That would be for me," said Naruto as he climbed in.

"What?" laughed Wally, "You're riding in a sidecar? What, can't handle the road?"

"No, I can't," said Naruto, pointing to his eye patch.

Wally gulped sheepishly. "Right, sorry."

"Why go with me?" asked Superboy, "Robin could take you."

"What?" grinned Naruto, "You want me gone? I'm told I make long trips interesting." Superboy rolled his eyes and put on his helmet.

Batman gave the signal and they all turned on their bikes. As one, they headed out onto the interstate and split up in the respective directions of their trucks. Kaldur, M'gann, and Wally headed North to Boston with their truck while Naruto, Superboy, and Robin headed South to New York.

For some time, they rode on in silence. Finally, Robin spoke up. "If dislike is the opposite of like," he pondered aloud, "Is disaster the opposite of aster?"

"What is it with you and this word thing?" asked Naruto.

"I'm just pointing it out. See, instead of things going wrong, they go right! Right, Superboy?" Superboy didn't reply and kept his eyes on the truck in front of him. "Clearly, you're not feeling the aster," said Robin dryly, "What's wrong?"

"Canary," snarled Superboy, "What business does she have teaching combat skills to a guy with super strength?"

"Taking down stronger guys is part of the gig," said Robin with a shrug, "Canary learned that the hard way, same with Batman and, well, me."

Superboy scowled and revved his engine. "Whoa nelly!" shouted Naruto as he lurched forwards in the sidecar. Superboy wove up the highway and Naruto clung on for dear life. "Superboy! Slow down!" Superboy complied and slid back behind the truck. AS he did so, a dozen small, green figures shot out of the cornfields that lined the road. They fell upon the truck with mechanical giggles and Naruto stared at them. "Are those robotic monkys?" he asked.

"Totally Ivo's tweaked style," laughed Robin.

Naruto's earpiece buzzed with static. "Alpha team!" shouted Kaldur through the line of communication, "Our truck is under attack!"

"Kinda figured," said Robin.

Superboy growled in anger. "I hate monkeys." Robin pressed a button on his back and the back wheel fell off. It skidded for a foot before it swiveled into the air and sprouted propellers and a gun turret.

"Switch your ride to battle mode," called the boy wonder.

"No point," snarled Superboy as he leapt forwards. The bike swerved violently into oncoming traffic and Naruto grimaced. He drew a kunai and tossed it at the truck. It embedded itself in the back door and he immediately Hiraishined to it, latching himself to the vehicle with chakra. Superboy was on the roof of the truck and Robin used his grappling hook to join him. Naruto kicked a monkey off the truck and grabbed another one as it tried to jump him. Behind the truck, more monkey's emerged from the cornfields, propelled by jet packs through the air. Two of them landed on the Robin's battle mode motorcycle and ripped it apart.

On the roof, Naruto heard a cry of rage and pain and saw Superboy get tossed off the truck. He quickly formed a clone before jumping off the truck to join him. "You alright?" he said, helping Superboy to his feet.

"My eyes,' grumbled to clone. The area around his eyes were burned slightly. Superboy cocked his head to the side and growled before jumping ten stories into the air towards the speeding truck. Naruto sighed at the clone's impatience.

He Hiraishined back to his kunai in the truck just in time for the truck to fall over and spin violently out of control. One of the grinning robot monkeys had popped a tire. Naruto scrambled over the side of the truck and jumped into the corn as it slid on its side to a complete stop, crushing his clone under it and dispersing it. Naruto grunted as he landed in the soft plant and looked on with frustration as the back of the truck exploded and four monkeys carried the box of parts off into the air.

Robin carried the unconscious driver out of the truck as Superboy pushed it off him. The clone glared at the fleeing robots and leapt after them, pushing off the pavement with his super strength.

"Superboy! Wait!" shouted Robin as he watched the clone disappear into the cornfields.

Naruto pushed himself up and walked over to the boy wonder. "You think the other team had better luck?" He'd barely finished speaking when Kaldur hailed them on their communicators.

"Aqualad to Shinobi and Robin. We lost our cargo, did you-?"

"It's gone," sighed Robin, "And so is Superboy."

"Superboy, come in," said Naruto, "Radio your position and wait for help."

"Don't want help!" growled the clone through the earpiece, "Don't need any!" There was a rush of static and the line went dead.

"I think he ditched his com," said Robin.

"What now?" asked Kaldur.

Naruto glared in the direction Superboy left in. "I put a Hiraishin Formula on Superboy when we escaped from Cadmus. If it's still on him, I can teleport to his location and radio you from there."

"That gets us Superboy, but what do we do about the stolen parts?"

Robin rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "How did they know to attack us? If they attacked the decoys, we'd have heard of it by now."

Naruto leaned down and picked up the mangled remains of one of the monkeys. "Examine this," he said, handing it to Robin, "If anyone can find a clue in it, it's you."

Robin nodded and pulled a wire from his cuffs. He plugged it into the robot's exposed hard drive and his wrist computer lit up. "They have a G.P.S.!" he exclaimed, "That's how they tracked us! If they can track us, I can track them!" Images flashed on the screen. "It looks like both parts are converging on…Gotham City."

"Good," Naruto nodded, "I'm going after Superboy. Aqualad, send Kid Flash ahead to meet up with Robin. They'll track the parts while you and Ms. Martian follow them and rendezvous there. With any luck, I'll be there waiting with Superboy. Understood?"

"Acknowledged."

"Alright, wish me luck then. Hiraishin!" Naruto shifted to approximately twenty feet in the air on Superboy's back.

"Hey!" shouted the clone, "I said I don't need help!"

"Obviously, you do," said Naruto as he used his chakra to cling to Superboy's back, "I know you think that because you were designed to be a weapon that you're invincible, but the fact of the matter is that you're not the living weapon Cadmus programmed you to be."

"And that makes me weak?!" demanded Superboy as he hit the ground and launched off again.

"No, that makes you strong," said Naruto, "But it also makes you proud, and that makes you stupid, and that makes you vulnerable. You need to use your anger as a gas pedal, not a steering wheel." A few hundred yards ahead of them, the monkey robots ducked into a moving train car on tracks that circled a mountain. Superboy landed with a grunt on the car and Naruto stepped off.

"Don't pretend you know me, Shinobi!" hissed Superboy.

"I do know you, Superboy," said Naruto sadly, "I know you better than I would like to. Now are we doing this thing or what?" Superboy slowly nodded and crouched down to rip open the roof of the train car. "Wait!" Superboy hesitated as Naruto threw off his helmet and pulled his mask from his waistband. "Might as well make it official," he said as he slipped it on, "Proceed."

Superboy ripped a hole in the roof and dropped into the dark car, making space for Naruto right behind him. The monkeys giggled and their green lights shone in the dark, illuminating a small, ginger-haired middle-aged man.

"Oh, hello," he said with a small smile.

"You?" said Superboy, arching an eyebrow in disbelief, "You're Ivo? You're the one they're all scared off?"

"I have to admit, I was expecting something a little more threatening," said Naruto.

"You're one to talk," said Ivo dryly, "What's that mask made of? Porcelain? And since when does the big blue boy have a brat?"

"He doesn't," grunted Superboy.

"If you say so," shrugged Ivo, "Have you met my Mobile Optimal Neural Quotient Infiltrators?" The monkeys, or MONQIs, behind him leapt forwards with giggles. Superboy brushed them off like bugs and Naruto folded his arms. Ivo sighed as the head of one of the robots fell at his feet. "And after all the trouble I went through to find an acronym for monkey." As Superboy crushed the last MONQI, there was a slight whirling sound behind him.

"Access: Captain Atom," said a metallic voice behind the two heroes and twin beams of nuclear energy stuck them both square in the back, throwing them across the train car.

Ivo stepped forwards as they stood up. "Since my magnificent MONQIs don't float your boat, maybe my amazing Amazo will." Out of the shadows of the car stepped a giant figure with green striped pants and glowing red eyes. The parts they had been protecting had been reassembled.

"On my mark, we retreat," breathed Naruto, "The others are on their way. We'll regroup with them and take him."

"No," growled Superboy. He stepped forwards and spread his arms. "Take your best shot." Naruto slapped the forehead of his mask and slowly shook his head.

Ivo laughed. "Please! My android has the strength of Superman, what chance do you have?" Superboy grit his teeth and charged forwards, his fist swinging. The android blocked the flurry of attacks he sent and responded with a backhand that sent Superboy into the roof of the car.

"Ready to get out of here now?" asked Naruto as he helped Superboy to his feet.

"Access: Black Canary," said the android, stepping forward. It dislocated it's jaw and a sonic screech burst forth, sending both heroes flying to the back of the car. "Access: Flash." The robot shot forwards and landed a dozen blows on each of them before they could stand up. Naruto groaned as he felt more bruises forming on his body.

"No wonder daddy keeps you hidden away," said Ivo, "You're not really doing justice to the 'S' shield, are you?" Superboy charged in anger once more as Naruto got to his feet.

"Access: Martian Manhunter." Superboy's attack went right through the android. The robot grabbed him and threw him out of the boxcar, hurtling him towards distant city lights. Naruto quickly Hiraishined to him as he was flying through the air.

"Hang on, Superboy!" he shouted as he threw a kunai at the ground. He quickly Hiraishined to it and they teleported to the ground outside of some kind of school. Naruto looked up to see the android approaching them from the air and he grabbed Superboy, dragging the cone into the building. "This time, we try it my way!" he growled. Two clones popped up besides him as they ran through the halls. Behind them, the wall imploded as the android entered as well. The clones stopped and turned, a Rasengan forming in their hands.

The android stopped and stared at them. "Unknown ability detected. Initiate scanning process."

"Joke's on him," muttered Naruto, "There's no way he can synthesize my chakra." Suddenly, his eye widened. "Or maybe he can. He just destroyed both my clones with my own technique!"

"So let's take him!" Superboy ripped out of Naruto's grip and turned to face the oncoming Amazo.

Naruto skidded to a halt. "For the love of…Superboy no!" But Superboy was already flying past him into a trophy case. The android rushed forwards and grabbed Naruto with the speed of the Flash, slamming the hero against the wall. Naruto cried out in pain as he was forced through the wall into the gymnasium, Superboy soon following through his own hole in the wall.

"That…all you…got?" panted the clone.

"Superboy, will you kindly shut up?" demanded Naruto, "We can't beat this guy and I'm not breaking out any of my more powerful techniques until I'm sure he can't copy them."

A slow clap came from the stands and both of them looked to their peanut gallery as the android stepped into the room. Ivo was stitting there with several MONQIs. "I don't usually attend these things in person," he said, "But this was too good to miss."

Amazo stood over the two heroes and raised his arms. "Access: Superman." Just as brought them down, a yellow blur shot through the room and grabbed Naruto and Superboy.

"Yoink!" grinned Wally as he helped them to their feet at the sidelines. Robin appeared from behind the stands.

"Perfect timing," said Naruto.

Wally smirked. "First to react, just like you told me."

"Keep his attention," Naruto ordered, "Superboy, Robin, hit him when you see an opening.

Wally nodded and raced in circles around the android. "Hah! Can't catch what you can't see!" he said as Robin ran into the stands and Superboy prepared to charge. Amazo reached out and grabbed Wally by the throat. He pulled the teen into a tight bear hug and he screamed out in pain.

The robot turned its head. "Access: Martian Manhunter." A green arrow flew from the darkness and slipped through the android's head as he dropped Wally. As soon as he hit the floor, the speedster took off. "Access: Black Canary." The android grabbed Superboy's charging arm and threw him into the stands with the same move Canary had used on him in training.

"Robin! Look out!" cried Wally as he grabbed Robin and they tumbled out of the way of Amazo's attack.

"Hey! Big shot!" shouted Naruto, "Let me show you a power you can't copy!"

"Really?" said Ivo with interest, "Amazo, discover the fox-kid's power, priority alpha." The android strolled forwards.

With a confident grin, Naruto shifted his mask to the side slightly and reached for his eye patch. "Don't bother going Manhunter on me," he growled, "So long as I can see you, I can kill you." He flipped up his eye patch and winced as he experienced the visual prowess of the Sharingan for the first time in months.

Everything became a thousand times clearer. He could suddenly see every wire, every imperfection with the android. He could see Superboy's rage subsiding slightly in the stands as he attacked Ivo directly. "I'm angry now!" roared the clone, "Wanna see me channel that anger?"

Naruto could see Ivo's fear. "Amazo!" shouted Ivo as he stumbled back, "Protect your master! Priority Alpha!" Naruto grinned. This was the opportunity he had been looking for. The android was confused, unsure of which command to follow.

"Amaterasu!" The shoulder of the machine burst into black flames that immediately warmed the room. It took seconds for it to melt through the android's metal shell and fry the wiring beneath.

"Unknown ability…detected…initia-" The glow of the android's eyes faded as his circuitry fused and exploded. Naruto winced as sudden spike of pain shot through his head and he closed his eye.

"Dude! What the heck is that stuff?" asked Wally as he shot forward towards the flaming scrap heap.

"Don't touch it!" shouted Naruto, "The Amaterasu will burn forever or until its target is nothing but ash." The android had stopped functioning, all of its hardware melted and sizzling as the black flames did their work. Superboy walked down the stands, the remains of the last MONQIs littering the steps and Ivo hoisted in his grip.

"Good work," Naruto panted, "All of you." At the far end of the auditorium, the doors burst open as Kaldur and M'gann ran inside.

"Shinobi! Are you alright?" asked M'gann as she crouched next to him.

"Much better," Naruto managed to crack a smile despite the pain he was in, "Just took a few hits too many."

"What happened here?" asked Kaldur as he examined the wreaked gym.

"It doesn't matter," sighed Naruto, "I'm sure Batman will have me write a report on it anyway. All that matters is nobody was hurt, the threat was neutralized, and we caught Ivo."

"Well, good for you," muttered Ivo, crossing his arms with a pout.

"What's this?" asked M'gann as she yanked the arrow out of the ground.

"Oh! Souvenir!" called Wally as he plucked it from her grasp, "Wait! This is Green Arrow's…arrow."

"The adults!" gasped Robin, "They still don't trust us! They've been shadowing us this whole time!"

"Confront them about it then," Naruto grumbled lazily, "Right now, I want to get home and take a nice, long bath."

"Shinobi, is your eye alright?" asked Kaldur.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't it be?"

"Because your eye patch is flipped up," Robin pointed out.

Naruto quickly flipped it down and moved his mask back into place. "Must have come loose during the fight. Can we go home now?"

. . .

After Batman was done chewing him out for the disaster of a mission and it had been revealed to the team members who concerned themselves with such things that it hadn't been Green Arrow's bow that had saved Wally's life, Naruto was soaking in the hot tube in the boy's washroom. Over the last day, he had accumulated bruises from playing with the cubs, being tossed from a moving truck, and fighting with a formidable machine and he was just about ready to rest in the hot water for the better part of eternity.

A throat cleared above him and he cracked open his good eye. Superboy was standing by the side of the tub in his swim trunks. "Oh good," said Naruto, "I like it when I don't have to go looking for people."

"I want to apologize," Superboy said as he slid into the tub next to him, "I was letting my anger control me and I cost us the mission."

"I guess it's not entirely your fault," Naruto sighed, "Cadmus messed you up something good. It took me almost eleven years to get through the whole 'born to be a weapon' thing. It's gonna take you some time too."

"Listen," said Superboy nervously, "I don't want to pry into your past, but I was just wondering if you had any tips on how to…you know…adjust?"

Naruto smiled, glad to see the clone putting forth effort. "Well, there are a few things I could tell yo-"

"**Kit!**" Naruto started in the tub, splashing the water slightly, "**Did you feel that?**"

_Feel what, furball? And when did you wake up?_

"**After the beatings, but before Batman ripped you a new one. Anyway, did you not just feel that massive chakra flux?**"

_You're the sensory-type, not me!_

"Naruto? Is everything okay?" asked Superboy, "I don't want to dredge anything up if it's too painful."

Naruto looked up. "It's fine, Superboy, nothing I can't handle. Where was I? Oh yes. There was this one time…"

. . .

In the middle of the Gobi Desert, a young man in a black tuxedo and sharp black hair paced impatiently. "Where are they?" he demanded in a raspy voice. At his feet, a house cat licked its paws in boredom. Suddenly, the air became intensely hot and the young man perked up. "Ooh! They're here! C'mon Teekl, let's hide!" he picked up the cat and quickly ran behind a sand dune.

Where the young man had stood, the air suddenly began to spark. As he watched, the air itself started to tear itself apart until there was a black, swirling vortex that hung above the ground. From it, two figures leapt forth and landed in the sand. The vortex dispersed as quickly as it had formed as the two figures stood up.

They were wearing identical grey armor and had a short sword slung across their backs. One was clearly female with long black hair and a white owl mask. The other looked male and had short black hair and a dog mask.

"Where are we, Aunt Hanabi?" asked the male, removing his mask. His eyes were a milk lavender color and his face hard and handsome. He was younger that anyone would have guessed, only around fourteen. "Is this a desert world? Or is this Suna?"

"There is only one way to find out, Hiruzen," said the woman. She took off her mask to reveal identical eyes to her nephew's, although she was significantly older, probably in her mid-to-late twenties. She bent to the ground and closed her eyes as her hands flipped through several complex motions. "Ninja Art," she declared, slapping her hand on the sand, "Chakra Echolocation Jutsu!" It was subtle, but the young man hiding behind the sand could feel a wave of energy pass over him. The woman closed her eyes and concentrated for a full minute before they burst open. "He's here," she whispered, "After all this time, we found him."

The young man decided now was the right time and he climbed over the sand dune. "Welcome, shinobi!" he called as he slid down the sand. The two people reached for their swords as the young man approached them. "Oh, don't be scared! I'm here to help! My name is Kalrion, and the pussycat here is Teekl. Say hi Teekl!" The cat meowed at his feet.

The two unknown people exchanged a glance and the woman gave a slight nod. "I am Hanabi Hyuga of the Byakugan," she said, "This is my nephew, Hiruzen Hyuga."

"Ooh! Hyugas!" Klarion clapped his hands in joy just think about all the chaos these two could cause, "And may I ask what brings you to our humble world?"

"We have been trying to get here for years," said Hanabi, "But something has been blocking our attempts to enter it. We come seeking a dangerous criminal."

"A dangerous criminal, eh? I'm afraid you're going to have to be more specific."

"His name is Naruto Uzumaki," said Hiruzen with a hard look, "And he killed my mother."

. . .

Thanks for the reviews! Keep 'em coming!


	7. Infiltrators

Same disclaimers and Italics as before.

Chapter 7: Infiltrator

Batman landed in a run on the rooftop of the apartment building and didn't break his stride. He moved, appropriately, like a bat out of hell. He stopped abruptly at the edge of the roof, gazing out over Gotham as the wind blew back his cape. "You need to start jumping," he said gruffly.

Naruto, as Shinobi, emerged from his billowing cape. "Why bother? I have a Hiraishin Formula on your cape. How do you think I've been keeping up?"

Batman glanced back at the new hero. "Then try doing it without me. Get to that rooftop there." He pointed to a building about a block over, around the same height as the one they stood on. Naruto shrugged and twirled a three-pointed kunai between his fingers before throwing it at the building. It lodged itself in the shingled roof and, as Batman watched, Shinobi appeared above it. Naruto flipped up his kunai with his foot as Batman landed next to him.

"Fair enough," growled the dark knight, "But you should train for situations where you can't use your powers."

"I come from a society of militaristic ninjas," Naruto said dryly as he tucked away his kunai, "I might not be able to beat you in hand to hand combat, but I can probably handle the run of the mill villain one on one."

"Care to test that theory?" asked Batman, pointing over the side of the building. Naruto glanced over it and smirked when he saw what Batman meant. Several floors below them, two men in ski masks wielding knives were backing a young couple into an alley.

"Please," Naruto snorted. He drew out a kunai and tossed it lazily into the alley, "Give me a challenge, won't you?" The kunai landed with a sickening thunk in the foot of one of the muggers. For a moment, both the criminals and victims stared at the slowly bleeding foot and the knife sticking out of it. Then, the wounded mugger screamed and dropped his knife.

Naruto Hiraishined next to the kunai and kicked the criminal in the chest as he ripped out his kunai. The first criminal fell over and Naruto did a spin-jump, landing a solid drop kick on the fallen mugger's throat. Without even looking, he raised his arm to catch the second mugger's arm as he attempted to attack Shinobi from behind. Naruto stood and jumped behind the mugger, still holding his arm.

"I just twisted your arm out of your socket," he said calmly as the mugger cried out in pain, "And I just gave your partner throat trauma. Oh, and before I forget, I got Batman on the roof up there. So, can I get an 'uncle'?"

"Uncle!" screamed the mugger, "Uncle!"

"Cool," said Naruto. He brought his fist down his fist on the thief's head, making him fall to his knees. Then it was just a matter of smashing his head against the wall of the alley and Naruto's work was done.

Batman floated down, gliding on his cape. "Go, alert the police," he said to the young couple as they raced past the two heroes, "Well done, Shinobi."

"You doubted me?" Naruto grinned as he tucked away his kunai.

"Yes," said Batman, touching his ear as a transmission came through.

"Problems?"

"You wanted a challenge, Shinobi?" Batman pressed a few buttons on his utility belt and Naruto heard a screeching sound in the distance, "A person matching the description of the Scarecrow was seen entering the Iceberg Lounge." A giant, sleek black sports car skidded to a halt in front of the alley.

"I'll drive!" called Naruto as he hopped into the open driver's side. Batman pressed a button and the driver's seat slid over into the passenger's side. "Oh, you're no fun," muttered Naruto, folding his arms as Batman slid into a second driver's seat that slid up from the floor.

"You don't think Robin tried the same thing? Strap in." Naruto barely had time to comply before Batman hit the gas. Naruto winced as the car went 0-60 in less than a second.

"So what's this Scarecrow guy?"

"He's a scientist. He uses chemical gasses to induce hallucinations."

Naruto blinked. "So like a genjustu?"

"What's a genjutsu?"

"An illusion technique that can disable an enemy."

"More or less then."

The Batmobile slipped through Gotham traffic in an almost unnatural manner. "Just how are you doing this?" asked Naruto as they missed a truck by millimeters.

"Lot's of practice. Hold on."

"What?" Batman hit the brakes hard and Naruto was nearly thrown through the windshield. The car skid for almost ten feet before jerking to a complete stop. "Ugh!" Naruto groaned as he rubbed his head, "Want to give a guy a little warning next time?"

"I told you to hold on," Batman said as he unbuckled himself and opened the door.

"A little _more_ warning then," Naruto grumbled as he followed. The Iceberg Lounge was a large, brightly lit club with a long line of patrons that filed down the block, all desperate to get in. "I don't suppose we're on the guest list," said Naruto, "Otherwise, we might have to go up against the bouncer." The bouncer was a giant of a man with biceps the size of Naruto's head.

"We're attracting too much attention," said Batman. Indeed, people were starting to notice and point with whispers at the two heroes.

"Soooo, what? The roof?"

"Wrong direction," Batman pointed to a manhole cover nearby.

"This is payback for the jumping thing, isn't it," Naruto sighed as Batman lifted up the cover and motioned for him to drop, "Well joke's on you. _I_ can walk on water!" Naruto jumped down and landed with a light splash in the sewer tunnel below. As he had promised, he stood above the waterline with his chakra. He quickly moved to the side as Batman dropped down next to him. "Mmm, doesn't help with the smell, though."

"This way," Batman began to wade through the sewer water, Naruto close behind. It grew darker as they proceeded and Naruto squinted to try and see up ahead.

"How are we getting in through here?" he asked.

"The club's owner is a criminal," said Batman from the abyss, his voice echoing around the sewer until it sounded like he sounded like he was everywhere, "He has an escape hatch that I use whenever I need to get in."

"If you know he's a criminal, why don't you arrest him?"

"I have no evidence. We need proof to hand over the authorities so they can send the criminals to prison."

"Where they break out and the process starts all over again," said Naruto, "I read some of your reports about repeat offenders."

"If you've read my reports," Batman grunted and the sewer was suddenly filled with light as he opened a hatch in the ceiling, "Then you should know why we use prisons."

"Yeah. I'm gonna have to get used to the 'not killing' thing. In my world, death was kind of a normal thing."

"I'm sorry," Batman jumped up and entered the hatch. As he stood up in the room above, Shinobi appeared behind him.

"Yeah, well, I try not to think about it so much anymore. Where are we?" They appeared to be in a brightly lit room with white walls, luxurious furniture, and a table of food.

"The Penguin's personal V.I.P. room. Maybe you could find your own answer to the super villain problem."

"Surprisingly, this isn't the first time I've been asked to find an answer that would lead to peace. What now?" Batman walked towards the door and opened it. "So much for not attracting attention," muttered Naruto as he followed the caped crusader out the door. The inside of the club was a massive, open lounge bar with hundreds of people milling, talking, and drinking. People slowly began to silence themselves as they recognized Batman's presence. "Got a plan?" whispered Shinobi.

"Cobblepot?" called Batman.

At the bar, a fat, squat man in tuxedo with a monocle jerked his thumb to the balcony. "He's up there."

"Damn it Penguin!" A man leapt from the second level and landed in a crouch on the floor. The crowd began to quickly clear the club as they sensed the imminent fight. The man seemed to be dressed in a series of shredded rags and sacs. His head was covered with a burlap mask and a wide-brim hat. "You said you'd hide me, Ozzie!"

"Did you really think he'd hide you after you stole the latest weapons shipment?" asked Batman, stepping forwards and twin batarangs falling into his waiting palms.

The burlap man, who Naruto assumed was Scarecrow, turned to stare at the fat man who remained at the bar and who Naruto guessed must be the owner of the club. "That was yours? Why didn't you tell me that was yours?!"

The owner sipped a martini and popped the olive in his mouth. "Officially," he said while chewing, "I am a reformed citizen of the state with no criminal connections whatsoever. Unofficially, you cost me enough money to put me in another tax bracket. You don't get to ask for favors, Johnny-boy."

"Surrender now, Crane," said Batman, "And we won't have to do this."

Scarecrow cackled and pulled twin silver canisters from behind his back. "Taste fear, Batman!" Batman threw his batarangs before Scarecrow could toss down his canisters, pinning the smaller man against the far wall.

Naruto walked forwards. "Well that was anti-climactic," he said. A loud snap echoed around the room and Naruto flinched. In the balcony, where Scarecrow had jumped from, stood a man in a half white, half black suit holding a smoking gun.

"Don't you know it's rude to interrupt a business meeting?" rasped the man. Naruto leaned his head back and nearly fell over when he saw the man's face. Half of it looked like any old human face. On the other side of his nose, however, the skin was stretched and burn, hideously scarred and warped.

"Dent," said Batman grimly, "Stand down."

"Sorry, Bats," retorted the man, "But these streets belong to Two-Face." He fired a shot at Batman who rolled out of the way.

Naruto sighed and made a clone of himself. "And just when it was starting to look like I could go home early, too." The clone grabbed Naruto's arm and swung him hard, throwing him at the scarred man. The man managed to fire two shots that missed Naruto by inches before Naruto flipped over the balcony and kicked the gun out of his hand.

"Ah, a new player," growled the assailant as he backed away, "And what can you do? Make copies? Fine." He drew a second handgun from inside his sports coat. "I have enough bullets for all of you."

Naruto scowled beneath his mask. "I don't like guns. They're a coward's weapon. Now this," he drew out a three-pronged kunai, "This is a man's tool."

"A knife?" Two-Face arched his good eyebrow, "You literally brought a knife to a gun fight?"

"Alright then," Naruto grinned, "Let's make a little bet. You get one shot and I get one knife. On the count of three, we do our thing and the last man standing wins. Deal?" Two-Face stared at the masked man before him for a moment before he reached into his pocket. He drew out a coin and flipped it into the air.

It landed in his palm and he nodded at its results. "The coin says we have this little duel."

"I'm glad the coin agrees," smirked Naruto, "I should warn you though, I have a reputation for being incredibly lucky."

"Let's put that to the test. One." Two-Face cocked his gun and raised it to eye height. Naruto twirled His kunai and adapted a defensive stance. "Two." Naruto smirked and lowered his guard. "Three." Two-Face tried to pull the trigger of his gun, but his finger didn't so much as twitch. Slowly, his hand opened and the gun clattered to the ground. "What the-" he muttered in fear and surprise, "Why can't I control my body?"

"Word of advice," Naruto snarled, "Don't bring a gun to a jutsu fight." Two-Face felt his head turn slightly so he could see behind him. A copy of the masked hero stood behind him their shadows touching. Naruto smirked as Batman used his grappling hook to rise to the balcony. "Thanks for the help there, Bats."

"I wanted to see how you would handle it."

"And?"

"I'm impressed, but," Batman grabbed Two-Face by the neck and pinched his shoulder, causing the villain to hall in a heap on the ground, "You took a risk with that move. I'm told it's called the Shadow Possession Technique."

Naruto arched an eyebrow as his clone dispersed. "Robin's been keeping you updated, I see."

"He says it drains you of your power."

"I've gotten better with it. Practice makes perfect and all that."

"You need to be more careful, Shinobi," Batman narrowed his eyes, "Especially when you work with the team."

"Fine, so I'll exercise a little caution in the future."

"It's more than that, Shinobi." Batman jumped off the balcony and headed back to the V.I.P. room.

The owner of the club glared at him all the way. "Next time you want to arrest one of my patrons, how about you don't clear my club, Batman? You're costing me good money." Batman just stepped into the V.I.P. room. Naruto heard sirens in the distance and shrugged as he Hiraishined to Batman who was descending once more into the sewer.

"What now?" he asked.

"Now, you go home."

Naruto frowned. "You sure you don't need me?"

"I've seen all I need too. Robin and the others will help you adjust more to Earth society and teach you how to be a hero."

"Kent asked you to do that."

"And I'm delegating you to them," he started to walk away into the darkness of the sewer. "Besides, I have a surprise for you later. Get some rest."

"A surprise? Like a mission?

"No."

"Batman." He stopped and turned back to Shinobi.

"Yes?"

"What about Superboy?"

"We're still figuring things out for him. For now, he'll be fine with the team."

Naruto frowned. "I know what it's like to grow up without a real parental figure, Batman," he said quietly, "Superboy shouldn't have to deal with it." Batman glared pointedly at him and Naruto backed up. "Just putting it out there." He Hiraishined to the Zeta Tube in an abandoned Gotham parking lot.

"**What are you doing?**" asked Kurama with a nervous growl as Naruto stripped out of his uniform and put on his civilian clothes, an orange hoodie with jeans and sneakers.

_Going exploring. Robin's always talking about how messed up this city is. I want to see it for myself, not as Shinobi._

"**No,**" Kurama said, "**You should head back to the Cave. Now.**"

Naruto climbed out of the rubble that blocked the entrance to the parking lot and started walking down the empty streets, his hands shoved in his pockets. _What's with you lately, Kurama?_ he asked, _You've been acting like a genin rookie ever since the Amazo incident._

"**It's not the robot that has me on edge. It's the weird energy flux I felt after it.**"

_You're over reacting, furball. It was a week ago, if it meant anything, we'd know by now._

"**I'm not so sure about that, kit. Until we know what it was, we should keep constant vigilance.**"

_I always keep constant vigilance, Kurama._

"**You know what I mean**." Naruto rolled his eyes as he turned a corner into a lit up section of the city. Nightclubs lined the streets and pounding music made the road shake. Shady figures peeked out of alleys and even shadier men entered the clubs with shifty glances. Scantily dressed young women smoked cigarettes on the sidewalks, glancing up and down the street for their next customer.

_Pervy-sage would've loved it here_.

"**Are you kidding me? Naruto, that one can't be older than twelve!**" Naruto glanced over to her and he grimaced. She looked far too young to be on the streets, let alone selling herself.

She turned her head slightly and caught Naruto staring at her. "Hey there, mister," she said sweetly as she approached him, "What can little old Holly do for you tonight?"

"Little? Yes. Old? No," Naruto sighed, "You can go home, Holly, it's not safe for you out here."

"I'm as old as you want me to be, honey," the girl protested as she got a little to close to Naruto.

"Oh look, Batman," he said in a monotone as he pointed down the street. The girl gasped and turned away to see if the dark knight was approaching. Naruto flicked a kunai into the air and Hiraishined to it before the girl could turn back. He landed lightly on the roof of the building behind him and sighed as he looked down on the confused girl. "Holly, huh?" he muttered, "Good luck to ya, kid." He turned to walk across the roof.

"**Hey, kit?**"

_Yeah?_

"**There's an unmitigated sense of hatred that's coming up from the south and closing fast. Just thought you should know.**"

Naruto frowned. _This is Gotham, Kurama. Apparently vice and hatred run rampant around here_.

"**Yeah, it's a little overwhelming to be honest, but this hatred is meant for you.**"

_How do you mean?_

"**I mean whoever's coming hates you in particular.**"

Naruto turned to the south and narrowed his eye. In the distance, a lone car was driving towards him, but it was still several blocks away. _What should we do?_

"**Get back to the Cave. Now.**" Kurama sounded deadly serious so Naruto decided to take him deadly serious. He Hiraishined back to the Zeta Tube and quickly ducked into it.

He entered the cave to an empty hall. _Are we in the clear?_

"**I can't sense the hatred. We lost them.**"

_Who was looking for me with such hatred?_

"**I don't know. Maybe it had something to do with the energy flux.**" Naruto sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Hey Naruto!" Naruto looked up and his eye widened. M'gann was walking towards him in a thin yellow bikini, midriff completely exposed. A picnic basket swung in the crook of her elbow and a beach ball was tucked under her other arm. "Kaldur, Superboy, Robin, and I were going to have a day on the beach today. Do you want to join us?"

Naruto blinked, trying desperately not to stare at M'gann's cleavage. "Ah, thanks for the offer, M'gann, but, um, I'm pretty tired and I, uh, should get some rest."

"Oh, okay then," she said in mild disappointment, "See you later." She walked off down the hall and it was all Naruto could do not to stare at her receding behind. He quickly went to his own room and plopped down on his bed.

"**You know,**" Kurama pondered, "**Now that you've gotten to the point where you can viably use the Shadow Posession Jutsu in battle, you should start learning another one from old man Third's scroll**."

_Not now, Kurama. Sleepy time._ Without another word, he drifted into slumber.

Naruto's bizarre dreams had become less and less frequent after he had moved out of the Tower, but every time he fell asleep, an image of a pale-skinned girl flashed before his eyes. She was young, probably only nine or ten. She was hunched over in a glass box in the middle of a dark room. Her eyes were amethyst purple and her long hair was as black as a raven's wing. She was naked, but a red gemstone decorated her forehead, seemingly a part of her very skull. Naruto frowned as he always did when he saw the girl. "Do I know you?" he asked, "Who are you?" Then she would shimmer out of existence and be replaced by whatever Naruto was dreaming about on that particular night, or in this case, day.

. . .

After many hours worth of wonderful dreams that mostly involved M'gann and ramen, Naruto was awoken by knocking on his door.

"Come in," he said sleepily as he sat up on his bed.

Batman opened the door and stepped inside. "I have that surprise for you, Shinobi."

"You can call me Naruto," said the ninja as he stood up and quickly changed into his uniform, "It wouldn't kill you." Batman said nothing as he led Naruto into the Cave's main hall. Kaldur, M'gann, Superboy, and Robin were waiting for them, all in their respective costumes.

"Did you get a good rest, Naruto?" asked M'gann politely.

"Quite," he said with a yawn, "Now, where's this surprise?"

"She'll be here any minute," Batman reassured him.

"She?" The Zeta Tubes activated and Red Tornado and Green Arrow walked in, followed by an unfamiliar girl in a green top with a full-headed mask and green pants with combat boots. Across her back were slung a quiver and a compound bow. On her chest was an arrowhead emblem.

"Team, meet your newest member," Batman said as the new girl came closer, "Artemis."

"Hi," she greeted them, "What's up?"

"Shinobi," Naruto said, offering her his hand, "Looks like I'm your new captain."

Across the room, the Zeta Tube activated and Wally ran into the room with a cry of victory. He was wearing a bathing suit and carried various beach paraphernalia.

"The Wall-Man is here!" he crowed, "Now let's get this party star-" he tripped over the beach umbrella he was carrying and fell to the ground with a grunt. Batman and Red Tornado looked down on him with the rest of the team. "-ted?" he said sheepishly.

"Wall-Man, huh?" said Artemis with a smirk, "Love the uniform. What exactly are your powers?"

Wally stood up with a scowl and brushed himself off. "Uh, who's this?"

Naruto opened his mouth, but Artemis beat him to the punch. "Artemis, your new teammate."

"Kid Flash, never heard of you."

Green Arrow stepped forward and put a hand on Artemis's shoulder. "She's my new protégé."

"What happened to your old one?"

Almost as if on cue, the Zeta Tubes activated and Speedy stepped out, wearing a new red and black getup with combat pants. "For starters, I don't go by Speedy anymore," he growled, "Call me Red Arrow."

Green Arrow slipped around Artemis, almost as if protecting her from his former student. "Roy," he said quietly, "You look-"

"Replaceable?"

"It's not like that, you told me you were going solo."

"So why waste time finding a sub? Can she even use that bow?"

Artemis stepped past her master and stood before Red Arrow. "Yes, she can."

"Who are you?" muttered Wally.

"I'm his niece," she said, jerking her thumb at Green Arrow.

"She is not your replacement…Red Arrow," said Kaldur, "We have always wanted you on our team, and we have no quota for archers."

"And if we did, you know who we'd chose," Wally interjected with a pointed glare at Artemis.

"Pssh, whatever, baywatch," she said, folding her arms, "I'm here to stay."

"Red Arrow," said Naruto, getting the group's attention.

"Ah, yes," Red Arrow sneered, "I've heard about you, Shinobi. So new to the game but already leading your own team. Tell me, do you really think it's a good idea to have another rookie on your team? You've already got Ms. Martian and Superboy, not to mention yourself."

"You came here for a reason," Naruto said, ignoring the question.

"Yeah," snorted Red Arrow, "A reason named Dr. Sterling Roquette."

"Nano-robotics expert at Clayton University in Star City," said Robin as he quickly drew up a hologram screen filled with the doctor's personal records, "Vanished two weeks ago."

"Abducted two weeks ago," Red Arrow corrected him, "By the League of Shadows."

"Whoa!" exclaimed Robin, "You want us to rescue her from the Shadows?"

"Hardcore!" agreed Wally, fist bumping the boy wonder.

"I already rescued her," Red Arrow said lazily, "Only one problem. The Shadows coerced her into creating a weapon. Doc calls it the fog." Red Arrow brought up his own wrist computer and showed them a picture of a capsule. "It's comprised of millions of microscopic robots. Nano-tech infiltrators, capable of disintegrating anything in their path. It can melt anything, but its true purpose isn't destruction, it's theft. The infiltrators eat and store raw data from any computer system they come across and deliver its stolen intel to the Shadow. They can get their hands on any information they want."

"Perfect for extortion, manipulation, power brokering," Artemis nodded in agreement, "Sounds like the Shadows alright."

"Like you know anything about the Shadows," scoffed Wally. Artemis just smiled knowingly and Wally glared at her incredulously. "Who are you?!"

"Roquette's working on a virus to disable the fog," Red Arrow continued.

Robin rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "But if the Shadows know she can do that-"

"They'll target her," Red Arrow nodded, "Right now she's off the grid. I stashed her at the local high school."

"Wow," clucked Naturot, "Just wow. You could have brought her to a high security League building filled with superheroes, or you could drop her off at a high school with a few CCTV cameras. Smart choice there, Reddie."

"Shut up, Shinobi," Red Arrow growled curtly, "She's safe enough for now."

"Then let's keep her that way," Green Arrow pleaded as he walked towards Red Arrow.

"Together?" the newly minted hero asked with an arched eyebrow, "Don't you want to take your new protégé?"

Batman put a hand on Green Arrow's shoulder and they shared a look. Green Arrow sighed deeply. "You brought this mission to the team," he said reluctantly, "Which means it's hers now too."

"Whatever," Red Arrow shrugged as he walked to the Zeta Tubes, "My job's done." As he approached the Tube, the computer recognized him as Speedy. "That's Red Arrow," he snapped, "B-Zero-Six. Update." With that, he was gone in a flash of light.

"Well he was pleasant," Naruto folded his arms, "I can see why you guys want him on the team. He just brings so much moral, doesn't he?"

"Tell me about it," grumbled Artemis.

Naruto clapped his hands. "Alright team, the more time we spend here, the more time the good doctor's at risk. Everyone get ready and meet at the Bioship in three. And Wally, put your uniform on, you look ridiculous."

Wally glared at Naruto and Artemis grinned. She slung her arm over Naruto's shoulder. "Shinobi, my man," she said, "I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship."

. . .

It took them less than ten minutes to reach the Happy Harbor High School. M'gann picked the lock with her telekinesis and they all walked in. Dr. Roquette was in the computer lab on the second floor.

"Dr. Roquette?" Asked Naruto as he walked in.

The young woman looked up from her computer screen. "Yes?"

"We're with the Justice League. We'll be protecting you while you create the virus."

"Good to know."

Naruto turned back to the team. "Ms. Martian, link us up, but keep Dr. Roquette out of it. I doubt it's easy to organize a complex virus on a high school computer, it'll just be harder with multiple minds in her head."

"Much appreciated," intoned Roquette.

"_Everyone online?_"

"_Ugh,_" Artemis mentally groaned, "_This is weird_."

"_Right,_" Naruto said in their minds, "_Artemis and Aqualad will stay with Roquette. Robin, Kid Flash, roam the halls. Superboy, take the roof. Ms. Martian and I will watch the perimeter. Understood?_" They all nodded and Naruto dismissed them with a wave.

"_Seriously, how do you deal with someone else inside your head?_" asked Artemis, "_I mean, there are some things I'd like to keep private._"

"_Like what?_" snarled Wally, "_Some kind of secret perversion?_"

"_Relax, Artemis,_" sighed Naruto, "_Ms. Martian doesn't probe our mind's just connects them_." He and M'gann had reached the door to the building and began to walk around the school grounds.

"_Good to know. The last thing I would want is to know what exists in the dark recesses of the Wall-Man's mind._"

"_Hey!_" snapped Wally, "_I don't need attitude from the newbie who drove Red Arrow off the team!_"

Artemis began to protest, but Naruto beat her to it. "_I would not have allowed Red Arrow to join us. A team needs to work as just that, a team. Red Arrow is too headstrong and unpredictable. His involvement would be counterproductive at this time._"

"_As much as I hate to admit it, our leader is correct,_" Kaldur sighed, "_Red Arrow would not work as part of this team._"

"_That being said, the last thing we need is infighting,_" Naruto thought dryly to the others, "_So, Wally, Artemis, if you don't get along or at the very least shut up, you both get to clean the Cave from top to bottom with your tooth brushes. And when you're done, if I think you did a good job, maybe I'll let you stay on the team._" There was universal silence after that.

"_Maybe I should just do perimeter duty,_" said Artemis.

Naruto groaned in frustration. "_Fine. Superboy, fall back to Dr. Roquette._"

"_You should cut her some slack, bro,_" said Robin, "_It was her arrow that saved you from Amazo, you know_."

"_What!? No! It was Shinobi's black…firey…stuff!_" Wally protested.

"_Yeah, but the arrow that kept you from becoming a paraplegic? You know, your little souvenir?_"

"_That was Speedy's! I mean, Red Arrow's!_"

"_Not so much._"

"_Well, still not giving her the satisfaction._"

Artemis sighed. "_You know I can still hear your thoughts, right?_"

Naruto rolled his eye and turned to Ms. Martian. "_Get Dr. Roquette online. I need to speak with her_."

M'gann nodded and focused for a moment. "_Dr. Roquette? Can you hear me?_"

"_So much for no distractions,_" the scientist grumbled, "_What do you want?_"

"_The virus won't be much good if we can't find the weapon,_" Naruto explained, "_Can you track it?_"

"_First off, it's not a weapon_," snapped Roquette, "_It's science, brilliant, brilliant science. And of course I can track it, but I'd have to go online. Might as well buy a billboard that says 'assassinate me'._"

Naruto glared up at the window of the computer lab. He brought forth a clone to stay with M'gann and Hiraishined to Superboy inside the lab. He walked over to the very surprised doctor and knelt beside her, looking her directly in the eye. "We will protect you," he said quietly, but sincerely.

The doctor hesitated for a moment before her fingers streaked over the keyboard with a flurry of movement. "Tracking the fog now." A map appeared on the screen and focused in on Philidelphia.

"_Ms. Martian_," called Naruto, "_Dr. Roquette has located the fog. Reconfigure the Bioship so Robin, Superboy, and Aqualad can pursue._" Superboy and Aqualad nodded to Shinobi and made their way out of the room towards the Bioship. "_Kid Flash, fall back to the lab. Artemis and Ms. Martian, keep up the patrol._" Immediately, Wally sped into the computer lab.

"**Hey, kit!**" Around him, his team gasped.

"_What was that?!_" shouted Artemis.

"_It sounded like…I don't even know!_" replied Wally.

"_Ms. Martian, cut me out of the link!_" shouted Naruto, "_I'll let you know when it's safe to let me back in!_"

"_Shinobi? What's wrong?_"

"_Just do it!_" Naruto felt the presence of others fade from his mind and he turned to his mindscape and Kurama. _What do you think you're doing?!_

"**Sorry, kit,**" breathed Kurama, "**No time to block out the green-girl. Remember that hatred feeling I got in Gotham?**"

_Yeah._

"**Well it's here. Whoever was looking for you found you again.**"

Naruto hesitated. _I can't deal with it now. I promised to protect Dr. Roquette and I always keep my promises._ _M'gann, can you hear me?_

"_I can now. What just happened, Naruto?_"

_Nothing, let me back in the loop._

"You know," said Dr. Roquette, "When the Shadows had me, I saw some people with masks like yours."

Naruto turned to the scientist. "It's not uncommon for ninjas or assassins to wear masks."

"No, I mean masks like yours. Same general shape, same porcelain, they even had animal designs on theirs too." Naruto felt his heart skip a beat. He drew a kunai and began to carve into a nearby desk.

"Dude! That's private property!" hissed Wally, but Naruto ignored him.

"Dr. Roquette," he whispered, "Did they have this symbol tattooed to their arms?" He showed her the flame design of the Leaf's ANBU Black Ops that he had whittled.

"Yeah," she said, "How did you know?"

"Because he's seen it before." Naruto and Wally spun and stared at the three figures that had entered the room in complete silence. One of them had a mask of a grinning cat and a green robe. The other two were in ANBU armor and had an owl mask and a dog mask respectively.

"Impossible," Naruto breathed, "Leaf ANBU."

"Shinobi," hissed Wally out of the corner of his mouth, "You know these guys?"

Naruto took a step forwards, then another one. He took his mask off and it fell to the ground behind him. "Amazing," he whispered. He reached out a hand and caressed the owl's porcelain cheek. "ANBU Black Ops. Here." The owl, who appeared to be a woman, grabbed his arm and twisted violently. Naruto yelped in pain as she kicked him in the ribs.

The man in the dog mask appeared behind him. "Leaf Hurricane!" he hissed as he delivered the familiar kick to Naruto's blind spot on the left side of his head. Naruto flew back into the far wall and it crumbled behind him. As he fell to the ground.

"Shinobi!" Wally glanced back at his fallen captain as he coughed on the ground.

"Sorry," said the grinning cat woman, "My comrades don't talk much, but I'm willing to bet they'd say some pretty nasty things about your friend there."

"Listen to me!" shouted Naruto as he stood up, "My name is Naruto Uzumaki, the Sixth Hokage, son of Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage! I'm a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf, just like you! So let's talk this out and compare notes, alright?"

"Sorry," said the grinning cat, "That's not the job."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "_Ms. Martian! Artemis! We're under attack!_"

"_On our way, Naruto!_" The cat woman brought up her hand and tossed a round of shuriken at Roquette.

"Doctor, get down!"

Wally sped in front of her and snatched the projectiles from mid air. "Word of advice," he said as he flipped the throwing stars through his fingers, "Don't rely on hand-thrown weapons against a guy who can outrun a plane." He dropped the throwing stars and they fell with a clatter to the floor.

"Good thing I brought these guys then," said the cat woman with a shrug as the ANBU dove forwards, drawing the short blades from their backs.

Wally skidded out of the way of the owl woman while Naruto intercepted the dog man. "Why are you doing this?" he huffed.

"You're dead man, Uzumaki," growled the man.

"What? What did I do?"

The dog man kneed him in the stomach and he fell back. He shifted his head to the side just in time to avoid the ANBU's blade. "You killed my mother," he growled.

"I never killed a Leaf ninja!" Naruto rolled out of the way and grabbed Roquette by the waist as she ducked under the grinning cat's sai.

"Don't move!" everyone froze as Artemis entered the room with a raised bow.

"Well," said the grinning cat, "This just got interesting." There was a sudden ripple in the air as M'gann ripped the intruder's weapons from their hands with her telekinesis. "Maybe a little too interesting," said the cat woman as M'gann made herself visible. A small pellet fell into her hand and she dropped it to the ground. A huge cloud of smoke burst upwards as Wally dove for her. He landed square on Artemis's chest across the cloud and quickly backed away in disgust as the smoke cleared, revealing no intruders.

Naruto walked over to where they had stood. "Gone," he whispered to himself.

"They're getting away!" shouted Roquette, "You're letting her get away!"

"This is all your fault!" Wally spun and pointed an accusing finger at Artemis, "You were on perimeter! How'd those Shadows get in?"

"That's not fair, Kid," said M'gann as she stepped forwards, "I was outside too. I should have been able to sense them with my telepathy."

"It's not anyone's fault," said Naruto as he knelt down and picked up his mask, "I don't know who the grinning cat girl was, but the other two were Leaf ANBU Black Ops, masters of stealth and evasion. They could steal your eyes right out of your head while you slept and you wouldn't even know they were gone until the next day."

"How do you know these guys, Shinobi?" asked Wally, "Old traveling companions?"

"Honestly, I have no idea who they are. One of them said I killed his mother, but I can't think of any woman I killed that had a child. I just recognized their masks, they're from my dimension."

"Whoa," murmured Wally, "If they're anywhere near as powerful as you, then we got problems."

"Focus, Kid," said Naruto as he stood up, "They'll be back, and I'll try and see if I can gauge their jutsu."

There was a beeping in his ear. "Robin to Shinobi. We're over Philadelphia. The Shadow's next target was Star Labs."

"'Was' Star Labs?"

"It's…it's destroyed, Shinobi. Completely decimated. I've never seen anything like it. Star Labs is cutting edge science, man. What's our next move?"

Naruto sighed. "I'm really tired of people asking me that. Alright, we'll move the doctor and rescan for the fog."

Artemis stepped forwards. "That'll let the Shadows find us again."

Naruto cracked his neck. "Then this time, we take no chances."

. . .

Ten minutes later, the group had set up shop at the Happy Harbor Harbor Master Station. Roquette was typing away at her computer while Artemis and Wally watched over her. M'gann was on the roof, scanning the area with her telepathy. Naruto had the place surrounded with clones transformed into copies of the Harbor Master, a squat and fat man with a thick mustache. The original stood behind M'gann on the roof.

For a long while, there was silence. Finally, Naruto sighed. "_Stop it._"

"_What?_" asked Wally and Artemis together.

"_Guys, I can hear you glaring at each other down there. Knock it off_."

"_Naruto! There!_" M'gann pointed into the woods.

Naruto scowled. _Kurama?_

"**Someone's out there, but the hate is coming from east.**"

Naruto glanced back out into the harbor and cleared his throat. "Ms. Martian, take my clones and go investigate the woods." She looked up at him with a frown. "_We're compromised. I'll get Roquette out of here, you pose as Roquette and it'll throw them off our trail_. _Everyone understand?_" M'gann nodded and turned invisible as she flew off the roof. Naruto made a clone and immediately dispersed it. The clones around the building were filled with memories and they nodded as they walked towards the woods. Naruto himself dropped down to the ground and rolled into the building.

Roquette was waiting for him with a packed laptop. "There's an internet café a few blocks over," she whispered.

"Perfect. Hang on tight." He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her in close as he drew a kunai.

In his head, Kurama chuckled. "**Heh,**"

_What's so funny?_

"**Oh, nothing**." Naruto scowled as he flung his kunai to the next wharf over and Hiraishined to it.

"Jeez," breathed the doctor as she looked around, "That was…jeez."

"C'mon," hissed Naruto as he clambered around the porch and to the street. Noises began to emanate from the forest and one of his clones dispersed. Naruto blinked and clenched his fist as he saw the cat masked lady killing off his clones with expert precision. He grabbed the doctor by the hand and took off down the street. He rounded a corner and then another. As he slid around a third, he saw the internet café and sighed in relief.

"Gentle Step!" Naruto looked up and had enough time to shove Roquette out of the way before the dog ANBU landed in front of him with a twirl, "Twin Lion Fist!" the attack of two snarling lions landed squarely in Naruto's chest and he was flung back into the far building. He slid to the ground, stunned.

"Well now," he groaned as he pushed himself up, "That brings back memories."

"As I'd hoped it would when I taught it to him." Naruto turned in time to dodge the owl woman's thrusting blade.

"You taught him that move?" he grunted as he ducked below her swing, "Then you must be…no, you couldn't be."

"Say it," growled the owl woman as she swept his legs out from under him, "Say the name." Naruto twirled himself up, pushing back the owl woman.

"Hinata," he whispered as he adapted a defensive fighting stance, "What are you doing?"

"That was the last time you get to say her name," the owl woman whispered as she ripped off her mask and shattered it on the ground, "When I kill you, it won't be as a ninja of the Hidden Leaf, it'll be as the sister of the woman you killed."

Naruto blinked as he saw her face. "You look like…Hanabi," he said quietly, "But she should be only twelve right now. Unless…"

"Unless the two worlds don't operate on the same time schedule," grumbled the dog masked man as he stepped forwards. He took off his mask and flung it behind him. Naruto stared in amazement. Not only was it a young boy rather than a man, but he was a dead ringer for Hinata.

"You're her son," he whispered, "And you think I killed her? I never lay a finger on Hinata!"

"You didn't have to," snarled Hanabi as she tossed her blade like a throwing knife. Naruto dodged left, but Hinata's son was right there waiting for him with a battle stance and Byakugan blaring.

"Eight Trigrams," he intoned, "Sixty-Four Palms!" The strikes came too fast for Naruto to follow as the boy pivoted and landed multiple hits within moments of each other. It was over in a few seconds and Naruto stumbled back.

"Apparently they don't teach history anymore," he groaned as he pushed at his halted chakra network, "That technique doesn't work on me." He unleashed a bit of Kurama's chakra and felt his charka points overload to the point where they were forced to flow. He grunted as his chakra started up once again and adapted a stance. "So," he said conversationally as the boy charged him, "You got a name?"

"Hiruzen! Hiruzen Hyuga!" He raised his leg to kick, but Naruto parried easily.

"Ooh! Named after old man Third, huh? Good pick, has a nice ring to it."

"Shut up!" Naruto parried his attacks easily, to the point where he barely had to raise his arms.

"Is this what it takes to be a Leaf ANBU these days?" he asked, "They have really lowered their standards."

"I said shut up!"

"You had me with the element of surprise earlier, Hiruzen, but your Taijutsu in general leaves a lot to be desired. Just some basic Gentle Fist techniques. I'm guessing your speciality lies in Ninjutsu, right?"

"Seriously! Shut! Up!"

"By the way, you used the Leaf Huricane kick earlier. Is Rock Lee your father by any chance?"

"Don't talk about my father!"

"I was just asking about an old friend."

"Rock Lee was my Jonin Sensei!"

"No kidding? Was he still talking about the fires of youth and all that?"

"Yes! It was so…I mean, shut up!" Naruto sighed as he back stepped to avoid a kick.

He glanced up and saw Hanabi leaning against a light post and Roquette nowhere to be seen. "Care to join the fight, Hanabi? We're having a lovely conversation over here." She made quick cut off gestures with her hands and ran a finger across her mouth in the universal symbol for 'zip it'. Naruto frowned and decided to go on the offensive. He scooted forwards and landed a solid kick to Hiruzen's stomach. The young Hyuga doubled over and Naruto delivered a spinning kick to the side of his head, knocking him out.

"Alright," he said with a sigh, "Now that that's over with, you want to tell me what's going on?"

"I would," said Hanabi, "But it looks like you have bigger problems." She pointed to the roofs and Naruto saw the grinning cat lady running across them towards the internet café. Artemis was a few rooftops behind her.

Naruto sighed and Hiraishined to the doctor. "We're about to have company," he said as he appeared right next to her.

"Don't do that!" she hissed as she fell back in surprise, "How did you get here anyway? Didn't you have to throw a knife thingy?"

"I put a Formula on you when I first Hiraishined us. How's the virus coming?"

"I'm uploading it to Robin now." Naruto nodded and spun around as a small silver ball rolled out of a corner. It exploded in a puff of smoke and Naruto braced himself for the attack.

His eyes widened when he heard a creak behind him. He spun and was immediately stabbed in the shoulder with a throw shuriken. "Ow," he muttered as he yanked it out and the cat lady fell from the ceiling, "Hurts, but I've been in more pain."

"Really now? Ever been injected with jellyfish toxins?"

Naruto felt his arm go limp and he lost feeling in his shoulder. "Oh," he muttered, "That's annoying." A stinging sensation lit up in his fingers and he winced. He looked up to see the woman approaching Roquette with her sai. Naruto stepped in between them and drew a kunai with his good arm.

"Well, aren't you just a little hero?" teased the intruder, "You willing to die for the good doctor?"

"The question is," said Naruto, narrowing his eyes, "Do you really want to find out what I can do?" _Kurama, let's give her a show._

"**Finally!**" Kurama poured his essence and chakra into Naruto's body and his skin turned to yellow flame as he entered Nine-Tail Chakra Mode. The woman took a step back at the sudden transformation.

"Well, this has been a night of surprises." For a few seconds, the two stared each other down. Then, there was a slight beeping sound and they both looked over to the computer. A bar on the screen was full, showing that the virus had been completely uploaded to Robin. "Well, it looks like my reason for killing you is gone," sighed the woman as she sheathed her sai, "You get to live to program for another day, doctor. Who knows, maybe someday you'll be of use to the Shadows once again."

"You don't get to threaten her," snarled Naruto. An arm of red chakra sprouted from his back and he formed a Rasengan in his good hand. With a wild burst of energy, he leapt forwards and buried his attack in the woman's stomach. She went spinning through the air with a scream and smashed through the plate-glass window of the café and onto the street. Naruto groaned as he cut off Kurama's charka flow and returned to his normal state. He fell to his knees and massaged his poisoned arm. "That really does sting," he murmured.

"You…you saved me," whispered Roquette, a hand over her heart, "She was actually going to kill me, but you saved me." She collapsed onto the ground next to him, her chest heaving in her mild panic attack.

"Yeah," said Naruto, "Crazy, huh?"

"I-I don't know how to thank you."

"Well, you created the virus and got it to Robin, I'd say we both thank the other and call ourselves even."

"Well…thank you then."

"Thank you." For a moment, they sat together in silence. "I should probably go arrest her," Naruto groaned as he stood up. He stumbled slightly and Roquette stood up to support him. Together, they walked out the door of the café. Outside, Artemis was leaning down to pick up a fallen mask. It was the grinning cat.

"Cheshire," she sighed, "She got away."

Wally ran up out of nowhere. "No, from you? Big surprise! Notice, half a dozen Shadow foot soldiers captured and ready for interrogation. M'gann drifted down from the sky with a group of black-clad men tied up and floating behind her.

"Cheshire. Was that her name?" muttered Naruto, "I was just going to call her 'Crazy Cat Lady'." Naruto looked up and down to street. Hanabi and Hiruzen were nowhere about. But that still didn't explain how a woman wounded by his Rasengan got away from an armed and able archer. He decided to put the matter to rest until he could work things out on his end. "Did you see her face?" he asked.

"It was dark," said Artemis curtly.

"Alright then, next time."

Wally ran forwards and grabbed the mask from Artemis's hands. "Cool, souvenir."

There was a chirp and Naruto winced as Robin spoke to him over the com links. "The fog is neutralized," called the boy wonder, "And we got a couple Shadow assassins as well. Everything good on your end?"

"Fine, Robin, return to base after you get the assassins to the League," Naruto looked up at Artemis, who was looking out over the bay as the sun began to rise. "The fog is neutralized and Roquette is safe. Thanks in no small part to you. I say that takes you off the trial period and onto the permanent roster. Welcome to the team."

M'gann squealed and flew forwards to shake Artemis's hand. "I've always wanted and Earth sister! I mean, I have twelve back on Mars, but trust me, it's not the same."

"I, ah, wouldn't know."

Naruto elbowed Wally and he grunted. "Yeah, welcome."

Naruto sighed. "Let's go home. I need to rest up." A single piece of paper floated down from the night sky and Naruto reached out and grabbed it.

"What's that?" asked Wally.

Naruto read it over and crumpled it in his hands. "A coupon for flying lessons. Someone must be dropping it from a plane."

"Huh. Good promotion I guess."

. . .

Back at the Cave, Batman looked over his team and the reports they'd handed in. "Could have gone worse," he said finally, "Ultimately, you mission objective was completed with minimal injuries."

"Tell that to my arm," groaned Naruto, "It fells like it'll just fall off any second now."

"By the way, Shinobi," Batman picked a small card off his clipboard, "Dr. Roquette left you her phone number."

Naruto blinked. "Uh, what now?"

"The person you defended over the course of the last four hours? She gave you her number. Understood?" Batman flicked the card to Naruto who pocketed it more for posterity's sake than anything else. Wally and Robin whistled in appreciation while M'gann turned away.

. . .

It was noon the next day when Naruto sat down at the same internet café in his civvies. Workers were already replacing the window he'd broken the night before. In front of him was a small water bottle he'd ordered just to keep the owner off his back.

"I see you got my note." He glanced up as Hanabi slid into the seat across from him.

"There were less conspicuous ways to get me to meet you, but yes, message received." For a solid minute, they glared at each other in silence. "I guess I should start by saying I'm sorry for your loss," Naruto said at last, "Hinata was a good friend and a true shinobi of the Leaf. Do they still tell stories about how we beat Pain together?"

"Yes, she is an honored hero to the Leaf and the Hyuga clan."

"That's good. I guess the elephant in the room is how did she die and how did I cause it?"

Hanabi sighed and pulled over a waiter, ordering a chai tea. "It was right after the war," she said quietly, "You, Sakura, Kakashi, Sasuke, and Tsuande went into that portal after Madara and you were the only one who didn't come back out. They wouldn't tell us what happened in the dimension of Kamui except that Tsunade had made you an honorary Hokage and that you'd sacrificed yourself to save the world."

"We made a pact," said Naruto, taking a sip of his water, "They would never talk about what happened in there. It's good to hear they stuck to their word."

"The war was hard on the Hyuga clan," Hanabi continued, "We had to face old friends and family, and then we lost Neji and my father. But when you never returned, Hinata went into seclusion, only coming out of her room for missions. It was all too much for her, too fast." Her tea arrived and she gulped it down like she was dying of thirst before ordering a refill. "One day, she was sent out on a solo mission to deal with some bandits on the border with the Land of Wind. She didn't return on time and Tsunade started to worry. After a few weeks, she sent out a search party." Her second tea arrived and she stared at it, watching the steam rise in random, swirling patterns off the hot drink. "What they found wasn't pretty."

"You don't have to tell me the details."

"I won't. The long and short of it was that she was pregnant and refused to give up the baby."

"Hiruzen."

"Yes. After he was born, she went back into seclusion, completely ignoring the fact that she had a son. Kiba and I took care of him for the most part. Occasionally, Hinata would feel good enough to creep out of her room and play with him, but every year around the anniversary of your disappearance she began to be…extreme."

"How so?"

"She would come to dinner every few nights with blood on her clothes. When Hiruzen was eleven, we found her in her room-"

"Don't tell me," whispered Naruto, a single tear streaking down his cheek, "I don't want to hear this."

"Then I won't tell you. You already understand. Hiruzen was the one that found her. Every wall in her room was decorated with your face. Can you imagine that? Holding your mother and being surrounded by bright pictures of smiling, happy faces?"

"So he went insane," Naruto subconsciously rubbed his eye patch, "I can relate."

"It's not insanity," Hanabi protested, "He's just confused. He wants vengeance, but you're just a scapegoat. He's really just…angry."

"Can't you calm him down?"

"I tried, Naruto," she sighed, "I tried. I knew how Hinata felt about you. Hell, the whole village did. I tried to keep him calm, but I…I couldn't stop his determination."

"Determination?"

"After he set his sights on killing you, he threw himself into his training. He's the youngest ANBU since Itachi Uchiha, the latest prodigy of the Hidden Leaf, the pride of the Hyuga clan."

Naruto sighed. "You Hyugas and your stupid honor have gotten the Leaf in more trouble than it's worth over the years. How did you get here, Hanabi?"

"Well, Kakashi destroyed his Sharingan so that nobody could open up the Kamui world again, but after Tsunade died-"

"Tsunade's dead?!"

"She was over a hundred years old, Naruto, these things happen."

"I know, just…Granny, she seemed…"

"Invincible?" Hanabi cracked a smile, "Yeah, the village was kind of shocked. After her funeral, Konohamaru became the Seventh Hokage."

"Really? Good for him!" a pang of jealousy rushed through Naruto, but he quickly dispersed it.

"Yeah, he's done a pretty good job. But his first decision was to try and clone Obito's body."

"What?'

"Sakura and Sasuke were against the idea, of course, but they were the only ones. Konohamaru scrounged up some of Orochimaru's old research on cultivating cells and regrew Obito's Sharingan. After that, we tried several times to open up the portal, but there was always something blocking it, keeping it from opening."

Naruto nodded. "The barrier. I know of it. Is there a way back through?" This was the question he had been waiting to ask.

Hanabi looked at him sorrowfully. "I don't know," she said with a sigh, "Hiruzen wanted to go through to find you, but Konohamaru wouldn't let him. He was going to do it anyway, so I figured I'd go with him and make sure he didn't do anything stupid."

Naruto's shoulders slumped. "I see. So what now?"

Hanabi shrugged. "Now I go back to defending Hiruzen and try to make him see the truth. I'll try not to hurt anyone, but if you get involved, I'll have to make it look real."

"Understood. It's good to know I'm not alone."

"Likewise." As one, Hanabi and Naruto stood, shook hands, and walked away in opposite directions.

. . .

"Kent!" called Naruto as he entered the Tower of Fate, "We have to talk!"

"I know, Naruto," Kent was in his study, his fingers laced over his lap as he sat in one of his armchairs. Before him, a large glass ball floated in mid-air. "I know everything."

"Then you know what I'm going to ask."

Kent sighed. "You want me to drop the barrier between our worlds."

"They might send a way for me to go back, Kent! This could be my chance to go home!"

"And this isn't your home!" snapped Kent. Naruto took a step back in surprise at his sensei's hostility. Kent breathed deeply. "Look, Naruto, you know as well as I do that I have to close the barrier. It's bad enough you came to our world, but now two more? And one of them's a psychopath? My hands are tied here."

"Please!" pleaded Naruto, "I need a chance, a glimmer of hope, anything."

"Naruto," Kent walked over to the ninja and hugged him, "I know I'm too old to be your father," he murmured, "But over the last year, I've come to see you as a son. I need to know you're safe. Your world is one of pure chaos, where death is always right around the corner. Here at least, you have a fighting chance. Naruto, the cubs need you, I need you, the team needs you, and the world needs you."

Naruto stood stock still, his fists clenching and uncleanching as his desires and instincts fought. "Alright Kent," he said finally, his eye blurring with tears, "Close the holes in the barrier."

Together, they walked out of the Tower and onto the Salem Green. Kent stepped forwards and closed his eyes. "This will take me a while," he said, "Go home, Naruto. There are people there who want you with them." Naruto nodded in sadness as he looked to the early evening sky. "Oh, and I'm going to New Orleans next week so if you need me, look on Bourbon Street."

. . .

Naruto lay on his bed, sleep slowly coming for him like a wolf stalking it's prey. _Hey, Kurama?_

"**Yeah, kit?**"

_What do you make of all this?_

"**All I know is that I'm sticking with you. You helped rid me of my hatred, and for that, I'll follow you to hell and back.**"

_Thanks Kurama, that means a lot to me. By the way, earlier you laughed when I escaped with Roquette_._ What was up with that?_

"**Hmm? Oh that, I just felt this intense wave of jealousy roll of green-girl when you put your hand around the doctor's waist is all**."

. . .

Thanks for the reviews! Keep 'em coming!

Whew! That was a long one!


	8. Denial

Same disclaimers and italics as before.

Chapter 8: Denial

Naruto sighed as he re-furled the Hokage's scroll. "Well," he said to himself as he slipped on his hoodie, "To work." He walked out of his room and made his way out of the Cave. It was a bit of a walk from the back door of the cave to his new secret clearing. By the time he reached the clearing, the sun was just rising over the horizon.

_Right. How are we gonna do this?_

"**What do you mean?**"

_I mean this move requires two people._ Naruto made two shadow clones, one of which went to the far end of the clearing to carve a bulls-eye into a tree. _It also requires animalistic characteristics to have full effect_.

"**So you want to utilize my chakra cloak?**"

_That's what I had in mind. Any abjections?_

"**I thought you didn't want anyone to know about me? Demonic stigma and all that?**"

_Desperate times call for desperate measures. I have a dangerously talented Hyuga ninja after me. Hanabi can only do so much if Hiruzen looses control, and her first loyalty is to her family. I need to be able to counter him._

"**I thought you could? You seemed to handle him well a few weeks ago.**"

_He was going easy on me Kurama. Typical Rock Lee tactic. When fighting an enemy he knew he was going to fight again, he'd hold back so he could analyze his opponent's techniques so he could win when it counted. I tried to distract him, but Hiruzen was watching me, testing the waters. If I want to fight him at full strength, but not kill him, I'll need to work on my taijutsu. Hence why I'm training myself to learn this move, and hence why I need you chakra cloak._

"**Very well, but be careful, kit.**" Naruto inhaled deeply as he felt his skin begin to burn. He crouched down on all fours and growled slightly as red chakra began to boil over his skin, like scalding bubbles that never popped. He grunted as a single, red tail of chakra sprouted from his tailbone and flicked the air. Besides him, his clone underwent an identical transformation. He groaned as he felt his canines become more pronounced and his nose scrunched up.

_Thanks, Kurama._ Naruto glanced at his clone and they shared a glance. On the far end of the clearing, the second clone backed away from the tree he had marked and watched as his fellows readied themselves. In tandem, they jumped into the air, twisting their bodies around each other. Almost immediately, they fell to the ground in a heap. They stood up and narrowed their eyes at the tree. They tried again, and once again fell to the ground.

"How did he do it?" muttered Naruto as he and his clone stood up, "He made it look so easy."

"He did it with Akamaru," pondered his clone, "Maybe we have to be in tune with each other like they were."

"But you're me. How much more in tune could we possibly be?" For a moment, they both stared at each other.

"I've got nothing," said the clone with a shrug, "According to the scroll, this is supposed to be a simple move."

"So was the clone jutsu, and I've never been able to manage that one," Naruto grunted, "Okay, once more. This time, try to push chakra out of your legs when you jump, that might be the trick."

The clone nodded and they took their stance. With twin grunts, they pushed themselves into the air while pumping chakra out through their feet. To their credit, they did manage to jump further, but their spin wasn't compatible and they slammed into each other.

"Closer," muttered Naruto as they picked themselves up, "We need to work on our spin."

They spent almost the entire morning working on it. They continued to get closer and closer, but there was always a tiny miscalculation, a slight part they got wrong. "As soon as we get it right once, we can get it right again," muttered the clone after several hours, "But I'm tired. Can we take a break?"

Naruto sighed. "If I disperse you, I'll absorb all your exhaustion."

"Then disperse me last," called his second clone, who was resting lazily against a tree, "I'll make sure you're okay before you disperse me and since I'm not tired, I won't add to your stress."

"Makes sense," said Naruto as he shrugged off Kurama's chakra cloak. His skin felt raw and sensitive, like it was harshly sunburned. "Ready?" The second clone stood up and nodded. The first clone dispersed and Naruto lurched as he felt the morning's workout double itself instantly. He stumbled forwards and the second clone caught him.

"C'mon," said the clone as he threw Naruto over his shoulder. The clone Hiraishined to Naruto's room, where he had left his collection of kunai. Naruto was laid out on the mattress and was practically asleep when his second clone dispersed.

. . .

"Naruto? You up?"

Naruto scrunched his eye and rolled over in his bed. "Trying not to be."

"C'mon, silly! Superboy and Kaldur are sparring out here!" Naruto rolled out of bed and stood up, his back cracking audibly. He pushed open the door and peered out at M'gann, floating hopefully and shyly outside his door. In a way, she reminded him of Hinata. Remembering Hanabi's story of her sister sent a shiver down his spine.

"Alright then," he said as he walked out of his room and past the Martian, "I've been meaning to step up the training around here anyway. We have new and dangerous threats to deal with, after all." They walked together in companionable silence to the Cave's main lobby, where Superboy had his shirt off and was going toe-to-toe with Kaldur. Wally watched from the sidelines as M'gann and Naruto joined Artemis on the other side of the ring. Naruto had never seen her out of her uniform. She was pretty and her eyes told of some Asian heritage.

Artemis glanced at M'gann as she approached. "Kaldur's, ah, nice," she said conversationally, "Handsome, commanding, you should totally ask him out."

Naruto tensed up slightly, but M'gann quickly replied, "He's like a brother to me!"

"**Why so sensitive about green girl, eh kit?**"

_Shut up, furball. Go back to sleep._

"But you know who would make the cutest couple," M'gann continued, "You and Wally!" They all looked across the fighters to where Wally was stuffing his face with candy bars. "You're so full of passion, and he's so full of…of…"

"It?" finished Artemis dryly as the two girls burst into giggles.

Naruto shot them a glare and cleared his throat. "I got winner!" he called. Just as he yelled it, Superboy and Kaldur were charging at each other. Hearing Naruto's call, they both smirked at the prospect of fighting their captain. Kaldur extended his fist, but Superboy hooked his leg around the Atlantean's ankle and threw him to the ground, causing the computer to announce his victory.

"Black Canary taught me that one," he said proudly as he helped Kaldur back up.

"Alright, Supey," said Naruto as he pulled off his hoodie, revealing a black shirt with a spiraling flame on the front and the swirling crest of the Uzumaki Clan on the back, "You heard the challenge. My turn."

They both adopted a fighting stance and the computer began the match. Superboy dove forwards and Naruto spun out of the way, jabbing the clone in the ribs as he passed. Superboy fell to the ground, but used his strength to launch himself into the air with his hands. He kicked at Naruto's face, but the he brought up both arms to block. The force of Superboy's kick brought him to his knees as the clone landed on his feet. Superboy aimed a roundhouse at Naruto's exposed ribs, but Naruto flattened himself to the floor as the kick went over his head. He spun and tried to trip up Superboy, but he was a clone of Superman himself, and kicking his legs felt like beating on a steel bar. Naruto grunted and swiveled to his feet.

"Why are you even training?" asked Sueprboy as they circled each other, "You're a decent fighter, but your real power is in your, well, your powers."

"I need to know how to fight better at hand-to-hand. You never know when you'll be left without your best tools." With that, Naruto ducked forwards and spun. Superboy grinned as he saw the shinobi was trying to throw him over his own back. The clone took a simple step back and grabbed Naruto's neck, twisting him over onto the floor.

The computer announced Naruto's loss as Superboy helped him to his feet. M'gann and Artemis clapped from the side and Kaldur nodded appreciatively. Wally just continued to eat. "Maybe you should ask Canary for extra lessons," offered Superboy, "She didn't say no to me."

"Might just do that," said Naruto, putting on his hoodie once more, "Thanks. Good fight."

"Likewise." They pounded fists as Red Tornado floated down from his apartment and workspace above the Cave lobby.

Wally tossed aside his half-eaten snack and sped over to the android as he touched down. "Do you have a mission for us?" he asked eagerly.

Naruto could have sworn he heard the robot sigh in frustration, but he must have imagined it. "Mission assignments are the Batman's responsibilities," recited Red Tornado.

Wally rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, 'the' Batman is with 'the' Robin doing the dynamic duo thing in Gotham. But you're headed somewhere, right? Hot date? Or a…mission?"

Kladur stepped in front of Wally. "If we could be of service…" He let the sentence hang and Red Tornado tilted his head.

The android brought up a floor hologram of a familiar face. "This is Kent Nelson," he said, "A friend. He is over one hundred and six years old."

"Guy doesn't look a day over ninety," whispered Wally.

"I believe you are familiar with him, Shinobi?"

"Yeah," Naruto folded his arms and glared at Wally, "Old man Kent took me in when I came to Earth."

"Awkward," sniggered Artemis as Wally shrunk back.

"He has been missing for twenty-three days," continued Red Tornado.

"He said he was taking a trip to New Orleans a few weeks ago. He's probably still there."

"Perhaps," said Red, "He has been known to take extended… walkabouts. For those of you who don't know, Kent Nelson was a charter member of the Justice Society, a predecessor to the Justice League." As he spoke, the hologram of Kent was covered by blue robes and a golden cape, all toped by a shining helmet.

"Of course," whispered Kaldur reverently as he looked up at the hologram, "Nelson was Earth's Sorcerer Supreme! He was Dr. Fate!"

Wally snorted. "More like Dr. Fake," he murmured to Artemis, "Guy knows a little advanced science and 'magics' it up to scare the bad guys and impress the babes."

"Kent is caretaker to the Helmet of Fate, the source of the doctor's mystic might," said Red as he turned to face the team, "It is unwise to leave such power unguarded."

M'gann peered up at his floating image. "He is like the great sorcerer priests and priestesses of Mars. I would be honored to help find him."

The words had barely left his mouth before Wally's hand shot up. "Me too!" he exclaimed, "So honored, I can barely stand it! Magic rocks!"

Artemis folded her arms and shared a look with Naruto. "How much you bet he's going to mess things up for us at some point?" she whispered.

"It's not a matter of if," he replied, "The question is when?" They shared a grin.

"Take this," said Red as he held up a golden key, "It will grant you access to the Tower of Fate."

"No need, Red," said Naruto, digging his own key out of his pocket, "I got a spare."

"Then I'm assuming you also know the coordinates?"

"Of course. I used to live there, remember."

"What are the chances that we both admire the mystic arts?" Wally asked M'gann as they headed for the hangar.

"So, Wally," said Artemis with a smirk as they boarded the Bioship, "When did you first discover your honest affinity for sorcery?"

Wally glanced at M'gann and grinned. "Well, uh, I don't like to brag, but before I became Kid Flash, I seriously considered becoming a wizard myself."

Naruto was sitting in the back and slowly raised a hand to his eye patch. It took him half a second to flip it up and down, but he saw what he needed to see and chuckled to himself. Wally spun around. "What's so funny?"

"You," said Naruto with a smile, "You have the worst mystic aura I've ever seen. I doubt you could even manage a level one incendiary spell."

Wally scowled at him, but glanced at M'gann again. "Well…that's why I didn't become a magician. I admired it from afar because I wasn't very good at it and devoted myself to science instead. But, I always followed the techniques and practices of the majestic sorcerers of Earth!"

Naruto sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Naruto?"

He glanced across the ship. "What's up, Kaldur?"

"It occurs to me that, since you called the Tower home for an entire year, you probably have a teleportation marker there."

"Good guess."

"Which means you could teleport there and bring the rest of us with you."

"Correct."

"So why didn't we?" asked M'gann.

"Honestly?" Naruto said with a sigh, "I'm in no rush."

"I thought this Kent guy was sort of your mentor," said Superboy, "Don't you care about what happens to him?"

"Of course I do," Naruto yawned, "But I've seen Kent-sensei's magic. I've seen what he can do. I care for him, but I don't have to worry about him."

"So why come at all?" asked Artemis, "What's the point of this mission if Kent Nelson is as strong as you say?"

"Well for one thing, Tornado was right," said Naruto, "The Helmet of Fate is too dangerous to leave unguarded for so long. The Tower is a magical beacon, who knows what could end up in there while Kent's out of town. Also," Naruto grinned, "He doesn't know that I know where he hides his sweets. Kent-sensei makes the best brownies I've ever tasted."

Everyone chuckled at that and turned back to face the windshield. "We're approaching the coordinates," said M'gann as they flew over Salem, "But…" her eyes scanned the windshield.

"There's nothing here," finished Superboy as they landed in the town green.

"Naruto?" Kaldur looked up at his leader. Naruto's grin just grew wider as he exited the ship.

Wally ran a quick dozen laps around the field. "Nothing," he said as he skidded to a halt, "This isn't simple camouflage."

"So what?" asked Artemis, her hands on her hips, "Adaptive, micro-optal electronics combined with phase shifting?"

"Absolutely," he nodded, then saw M'gann and gulped, "Not! Clearly mystic powers are at work here!"

Naruto smirked. "Step aside, wiz-kid," he said as he pushed his key into the Tower's keyhole, "Let a real mystic show you how it's done." The Tower shimmered into view and they all gasped. Naruto pushed the door opened and bowed with a flourish. "Shall we?" He entered the tower with the others behind him. "Now," he said as he walked into the main hall of the bottom floor of the Tower, "The Tower has certain defense mechanisms set in place. Everything will be fine, so long as you let me do all the talking, got it?" he glared pointedly at Wally.

"What?" protested the speedster as a golden hologram of Kent Nelson appeared before them.

"Greetings, kid," said the hologram, "How unlike you to bring guests."

Naruto opened his mouth to reply, but Wally sped in front of him. "We are true believers, here to find Dr. Fate!" Naruto smacked his forehead as the hologram frowned.

"Wally," he sighed, "What did I say?" The hologram vanished and the floor collapsed under the group. They screamed as they fell towards a pool of lava. "Tower!" shouted Naruto as he fell, "It's me! We came to make sure the Helmet was safe!" Suddenly, he stopped falling and was yanked back up by an invisible force. As he cleared the edge of the bottom floor, the stone reconstructed itself beneath him and he landed on it with a grunt. "Hey! Get my team out of there!"

"What's wrong, kid?" asked the hologram as it reappeared with a grin, "Don't have faith in your own team?"

"My team? Yes," said Naruto as he stood up, "Wally? No."

"So that was the loudmouth you were telling me about," mused the hologram, "I see potential."

"Of course you do," sighed Naruto, "Just go easy on the others, won't you?"

"Don't worry," the hologram reassured him as the back wall faded away to reveal Kent's study, "The Martian girl already reversed your friend's mistake. Now, I believe you wanted to see the Helmet?"

"Yes," said Naruto, "We just want to make sure it's safe."

"Oh, it's quite safe," said the hologram as the far wall faded away, revealing an endless maze of Escher-esque stairs, "By the way, Kent found some books on summoning contracts. He left them in your room."

"Thanks." They walked a bit in companionable silence through the maze. "I don't remember it taking this long before," said Naruto finally. In front of him, the hologram stopped. "Something wrong?"

"Intruders in the Tower!" hissed the hologram, "They have Kent!"

Naruto's eye widened. "Take me to him!" The hologram morphed into a giant, glowing ankh and Naruto walked through it. He found himself looking up at Kent and two others on one of the landings. One of them was a tall, tan man in a billowing white shirt. The other was a young boy with pointed hair and a suit with an orange tabby cat on his shoulders. "Kent!"

The three figures on the platform turned to him. "Well would you look at that," said Kent with a smirk. Vertically above Naruto, a flash of golden light appeared on a staircase and Artemis and Wally appeared, each clinging to a glowing cane.

"Abracadabra!" exclaimed Wally as he saw the tall man.

Kent turned and smiled at his cane. "Huh, my luck seems to be turning." Naruto drew a kunai and tossed it between Wally and Artemis as Kent suddenly lifted off the ground and flew towards them. He Hiraishined besides them as Kent grabbed the cane. Wally and Artemis let go of it and they all stood up. "In here!" cried Kent as he made elevator doors out of a nearby wall. They all dove in and the doors closed with a ding.

"Everyone okay?" asked Naruto, "The others, are the others alright?"

"They're all fine, Naruto," said Wally.

"Good," breathed Naruto.

"I'm Kent Nelson, by the way," said Kent with a bow of his head.

"No duh," muttered Wally. Artemis and Naruto elbowed him on either side.

"This is Artemis," Naruto introduced, "Manners here is Wally."

"The loudmouth, right?"

"Yup."

Wally shot glares back and forth between the both of them. "Like I'm gonna let people who believe in magic insult me."

"Oh?" Naruto raised an eyebrow, "You admit you don't believe in magic?"

"Yes! It's just some scientific parlor tricks with some added thatrics! I mean, c'mon, Naruto! You can't really believe in this stuff, right?"

"Wally," Naruto chuckled, "Most of my powers are based on a network of secondary veins in my body that carry pure energy."

"Well there you go!"

"Most of my powers, Wally, most of them. There are things I can do that even I can't explain, like my Amaterasu for instance."

"The black fires? And you immediately attribute those to magic?"

Naruto winced. Usually, he would confer with Kurama about unknown powers he developed, but even Kurama had no idea exactly how an Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan worked. Besides, he didn't want anyone to know about his personal demon. "I don't need to attribute my powers to anything, Wally," he said after a pause, "So long as I can control them and can use them to save lives, I don't question where they come from."

Wally grunted. "Well that's just stupid." Artemis rolled her eyes and slapped him upside the head. "Ow!"

"As riveting as this debate is," said Kent dryly, "Can we focus now? We're up against an enemy with tremendous mystic power."

"Abracadabra?" said Wally, "Tch. Flash proved he uses futuristic technology to simulate magic. Guy's all show and no biz."

"Right you are," nodded Kent.

Artemis and Naruto shared a glance while Wally folded his arms smugly. "He is?" they said in unison.

"Abracadabra is a charlatan," continued Kent, "But Klarion the Witch Boy, the kid with the cat, he's an actual Lord of Chaos."

"The ultimate enemy of a Lord of Order," murmured Naruto.

"Like Dr. Fate.," agreed Kent.

"Right," said Wally sarcastically as he looked Kent up and down, "You're a Lord of Order."

"Oh, no. Not me," explained Kent, "I'm just an old coat Fate used to put on. Until my wife Inza told me there could be more to life." He took out his pocket watch and flipped it open so he could gaze upon Inza's portrait. "Ahh," he sighed, "A real pistol, that Inza."

"Kent, focus," said Naruto gently.

"Right, anywho," said Kent as he tucked away his watch, "Klarion's after the helmet. If he gets his sticky little mits on it, he'll turn the planet into his own personal playground of pandemonium."

"Nice alliteration."

"Thanks." The elevator dinged and the doors opened. They all stepped out into the center of the maze, where a giant, golden bell hung. As they approached it, a door appeared on the ceiling. Kaldur and Superboy fell out of it to the floor while M'gann drifted down. Artemis ran over to help them. "Friends of yours?" asked Kent.

A lightning bolt shot overhead, missing the old wizard by inches. Across a gap in the maze, Abracadabra and Klarion stood watching them. "Friend's of yours?" hissed Wally as he pulled Kent out of the way. Kent hurried to the bell and rang it with his cane. It rang deep and loud as Kent walked into it, vanishing into the metal. Naruto grabbed Wally and pulled him through as well.

They appeared on the roof of the Tower. In the center of the roof, a golden helmet floated above the ground. Kent reached for it, but a bolt of red lightning stuck him directly in the chest. Naruto spun and saw Klarion land on the roof, his eyes red and burning, his hands engulfed in mystical flame.

Kent quickly invoked a spell in a raspy breath and slammed the butt of his cane on the roof. Immediately, Naruto, Wally, and Kent were surrounded by a golden dome. Klarion threw a bolt of magic lightning at them, but the dome deflected it.

"No!" shouted the witch boy in frustration, "I want that helmet! I want it and I want it now!"

"Wow," muttered Naruto, "You never said he was such a whiner, Kent," he glanced behind him and his eye widened, "Kent?"

Kent was on the ground; Wally crouched next to him as he breathed slowly and shallowly. "Looks like… this is it for me…kid," he wheezed as Naruto fell next to him, "The bubble…will give you time…to do what you must."

"Kent," whispered Naruto, a tear forming in his eye, "No, please don't."

"Don't have…much of a choice…here kid," he breathed, "Neither…of us…do." His hands shook as he brought out his pocket watch. "I hope…Inza…made me…cookies. That…reminds me," he said as his breathing slowed even further, "I keep…my brownies…loose floorboard…under…kitchen table."

"I know, Kent-sensei," wept Naruto, tears freely falling down his face, "I've always known."

Kent stared at him and his face broke into a wide smile. "Why…you…sly…son of…a…" His eyes closed and his hand went limp, his watch falling with a clatter to the rooftop. Klarion continued to attack the dome and Wally offered Naruto his condolences, but none of their sounds made it to his ears.

"**Kit,**" Naruto entered his mindscape and turned to Kurama, "**Remember Pain. Remember your answer**."

Naruto glared up at the nine-tailed fox. _That was in another world, Kurama, it doesn't apply here_.

Kurama roared in frustration. "**That's a total load and you know it!**" he cried.

_Enough_. Naruto began to pull on Kurama's chakra, feeding it into his own.

"**If you won't listen to me,**" pleaded Kurama, "**At least listen to Kent.**" Naruto stopped taking Kurama's chakra and listened. "**Kent said that true power comes not from order or chaos, but from a balance of both, do you understand?**"

Naruto nodded slowly and retracted from his mindscape. Klarion had made magical claws that were digging into the dome, trying to tear it apart. "Naruto!" shouted Wally as he ducked down, "What do we do?"

Naruto reached up and grabbed the helmet. "We put fate to the test."

"Hey! Stupid kid!" shouted Klarion, "If you put that helmet on, you'll never take it off!"

Naruto raised it over his head. "Wanna bet?" _Kurama, you ready?_

"**Let 'er rip, kit!**" Naruto plunged the helmet over his head. Immediately, he felt it, the influence of Nabu in his mind, like a fog of mental invasion that overpowered him. Power surged through Naruto's body as his clothes were covered by the robes and armor of Dr. Fate. _Now! Kurama!_ The demon leapt forward in Naruto's head and clapped his paws around the fog, trapping it within. Naruto felt control of his body return to him as Klarion ripped apart the dome. Naruto flew up in the air and marveled at his own flight. "**Well now,**" he said, his voice rippled by the helmet, "**This is interesting, but let's add some chaos to this order.**"

Kurama grinned and flicked his tails, sending a surge of his demonic chakra through Naruto. His armor and robes became covered with glowing yellow fire and he tensed up as the powers of chaos and order mixed in his body. "**So much power**," murmured Naruto as he flexed his fingers.

"Give it up, Nabu!" shouted Klarion below him. "Order went out of style in the twentieth century!" He launched twin fireballs at Naruto who simply flicked them back at him. Klarion dove out of the way as they exploded with twice the power he had thrown them. "N-Nabu?"

"**You think you're talking to a Lord of Order**," growled Naruto as he drifted to the roof, "**How cute**." He raised his hands and blasts of golden light shot out of his palms. They struck Klarion in the shoulders and pierced straight through his body.

"Ow! That smarts!" shouted the witch boy as he fell to his knees, "How are you doing this?"

"**The question is not how, you little brat**," Naruto shot forwards, trailing golden light behind him. He grabbed Klarion by the throat and lifted him off the ground. "**The question is why**." He choke-slammed Klarion into the ground before picking him up and launching him into the air. A hand of demonic chakra sprouted from his back and he formed a Rasengan enhanced with mystical energy in his hand. As Klarion started to fall with a scream, Naruto launched himself into the air, his Rasengan outstretched. The attack collided with Klarion's back and ripped through bone and sinew and muscle until Naruto had punched a hole straight through Klarion's chest. Klarion screeched and kicked Naruto away as he fell to the ground.

The hole in Klarion's chest sealed up as soon as he touched down, but the fear on his face would not leave. "Stop, wait!" he cried as he scrambled backwards, "If you kill me, you'll never find out where I took the little demons!"

Naruto stopped moving and stared at Klarion. "**The cubs**," he growled, "**You took the cubs**. **Where are they?!**" Klarion whimpered and his cat leapt forwards and morphed into a massive tiger to defend its master. Naruto glared at the cat and smiled beneath the helmet. Raising his hands, he made a clone. It looked exactly like him, as Dr. Fate in the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode. As one, they crouched down on all fours and aimed for the cat. With snarls, they launched themselves into the air and twisted around one another, swirling at speeds that would make heads spin.

"**Ninja Art!**" shouted Naruto as he and his clone hit the cat head on, "**Crowned Fang Over Fang!**" The cat roared in pain as the attacks drilled into it, driving it back against the battlements of the tower and over the edge. Naruto and his clone refused to let up, continuing to force their helmeted attack into the cat's skin, digging as far as they could. The cat hit the ground with a crunch and a screech. Naruto leapt off of it as his clone grabbed the cat by the throat and began to incant a spell. After a moment, the clone exploded like a grenade, burning the cat to ash.

Naruto stood and watched as the feline disintegrated. Without his familiar, Klarion would be banished from the physical plane until he could find another. Naruto sat on the ground and retreated into his mindscape. Kurama was holding a struggling cloud of existence under his paws. _He giving you any trouble?_

"**Are you kidding? It's like dealing with a newborn cub. As soon as you separate its power from its body, it's so easy to control.**"

_Release him. I want to speak with him_. Kurama shrugged and opened his paws. The cloud shot out of it and engulfed Naruto. His mindscape faded away and was replaced by an existence made completely of the color blue. Naruto floated through blue space for a moment before the golden helmet appeared before him. "Nabu?" he inquired.

"_How dare you, you arrogant brat!_" hissed the Lord of Order from the helmet, "_To restrain me? You are insane!_"

"And you are annoying," said Naruto dryly.

A hand landed on his shoulder. "Give him a few decades. He grows on you." Naruto spun and gapped at Kent, standing behind him nonchalantly. "Oh, don't look so surprised," smirked Kent, "I've worn this thing so long, it makes sense my soul would get sucked back into it."

"Kent-sensei," whispered Naruto, "I'm so sorry."

Kent waved it off. "We all die, kid," he said, "At least I got to go down swinging."

"_Listen to me, child,_" growled Nabu, "_The Earth needs Dr. Fate. You have a good enough affinity for the mystic arts to serve as my host body._"

"And you can control him if need be," Kent pointed out.

"Shut up, both of you," said Naruto firmly, "I'm no sorcerer. I'm a ninja, a shinobi. I draw some of my powers from magic and I can overcome Nabu, but I'm not the one to be Dr. Fate. Still," he turned to the helmet, "You're right. The Earth needs Dr. Fate, so I'm going to give you my word that if I find someone willing to serve as your host, with a strong enough magical aura, I'll give you to them."

"In the meantime," Kent interjected, "I'll stick around. Keep you company."

Nabu thought for a moment. "_The deal_," he decided, "_Is acceptable_." The helmet vanished and Naruto was left alone with Kent.

"I'm sorry, Sensei," he sighed, "In my anger, I took out the familiar before I took out Klarion. I couldn't kill him."

"Good," said Kent. Naruto turned to stare at him. "Killing isn't our way," Kent stomped his cane down to emphasize his point, "We find our own answers to the problems of the world, but killing isn't the right one." He smiled and there was a twinkle in his eye. "Something tells me you already knew that. Right, Kurama?"

Kurama snorted above them "**You dispense wise advice, Nelson,**" he growled, "**Unfortunately, you only gave it to the kit when he needed it least**."

"Call it one of my few failings," said Kent with a grin.

"Are you going to be alright in here, sensei?" asked Naruto.

"Oh, I'll be fine. Nabu and I go way back. If memory serves correct, we had a chess game going that we never finished."

"I guess…this is good-bye, Kent."

"So it is, Naruto. What do you have to say about that?"

"I say that it was an honor to be under your tutelage, Kent-sensei." Naruto bowed to his teacher.

Kent smiled. "It was an honor to teach you, Naruto Uzumaki." He returned the bow and they stood up. "Always remember," he said as Naruto moved to take off the helmet, "You and your friends are the next generation of superheroes. I for one think we're leaving the world in pretty responsible hands."

Naruto hesitated. "Even Wally?"

Kent burst out laughing. "That one might need a little spitfire of his own," he chuckled, "You could stand a woman's touch too. Maybe that…"

Naruto quickly took off the helmet before his sensei could embarrass him. The world of blue fell away and Naruto exited his mindscape. He looked up at the Tower and sighed. The sky was dark and a crescent moon shone. Soft moonbeams of light hit the earth around him as Dr. Fates' robes and armor disappeared. Naruto reached into his shirt and pulled out the necklace Kent had given him. It's once shiny metal was now dull and rusted. He knelt down and scooped up some dirt with his hands. He buried the necklace and intoned one of the few spells Kent had taught him. Slowly but surely, a small dogwood tree began to grow over the patch of dirt. It bloomed upwards until it stood as tall as Naruto, its green leaves bristling in the late summer wind.

The doors to the Tower opened and his team walked out, an unconscious Abracadabra slung over Superboy's shoulder. Wally dashed forwards and stood in front of Naruto. "Dude!" he shouted, "That was incredible! You were all like…like 'boom!' and 'Pssh!' and 'Haa!' and he was all like 'oh, help me pussy cat!' That was so cool! The way you made a clone of Dr. Fate and you spun around each other! That was so sweet!" Wally noticed the wide smile that filtered across Naruto's face and straightened up. "But, uh, it wasn't magic," he said firmly, "The helmet must enhance the energy veins you told me about or something."

"Keep telling yourself that," said Naruto as he hefted the helmet under his arm.

M'gann put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry about Kent," she said softly.

"We all are," agreed Kaldur with a nod.

"Thank's guys," he said quietly, "Let's go home."

. . .

Naruto put the helmet on the shelf next to his Hokage scroll. He took a step back and admired the golden helm. There was a knock on his door. "Come in," he said without taking his eyes off the helmet.

Artemis walked in and sat down on his bed. "Can you believe Wally still doesn't believe in magic?" she exclaimed, "After all we just went through?"

"It doesn't matter," said Naruto with a shrug, "Just because he doesn't believe in it doesn't mean it's not true."

"Fair enough," she sighed as she lay down on his bed, "You know, this is really comfy."

"Right? Memory foam. Great stuff."

"I wouldn't mind sleeping on this a night or two." Naruto paled slightly and glanced back at her. Artemis had her hands behind her head and was looking at him seductively.

Fortunately, there was another knock on the door. "Come in!" Naruto called quickly.

M'gann floated in and Artemis nearly fell off the bed. "I just remembered I have…things to do," she said as she passed M'gann out of the room. They shared a glare and moved on.

"Hey Naruto," said the Martian brightly, "Wally just gave me two tickets to a magic show tonight. I was wondering if you wanted to come with me?"

Naruto turned to face her and a slow, cruel smile crept over his face. "I have a better idea," he said as he approached her, "You take a ticket to Wally and pretend you're going with him. I'll take a ticket to Artemis and pretend I'm going with her."

M'gann blinked. "Why would we do that?"

"I believe I owe Wally a prank."

"Okay, but what will we do?"

Naruto smirked. "I'll buy us two more tickets and we'll see two shows for the price of one."

. . .

The monitors of the Light were assembled in a room deep underground. "Klarion has been banished," said one of them, "It will take time for him to reform in this plane, if he comes back at all."

"He'll be back," another reassured, "He has too much at stake in our plans."

"True. In the meantime, what of our guests?"

"They train constantly. They have already beaten every assassin in the League of Shadows that I've given them to spar with. They plan to strike against one Naruto Uzumaki, but nobody can find him in any records. He doesn't seem to exist."

"And the package Klarion delivered to us before he was banished?"

"Ve're holding zem in my compound," said a third member, the one with a thick French accent, "They vill be safe vith us for now, but ve should move zem in ze near future."

"Can they be trained?" asked a slightly female voice.

"Mais oui, madam," replied the Frenchman.

"Then they will be trained to obey the light."

. . .

Thanks for the reviews! I've never gotten over a hundred before. Keep 'em coming!


	9. Downtime

Same disclaimers and italics as before

Chapter 9: Downtime

Naruto ducked down as the massive clay anvil swept over his head. The other members of his team were scattered around the floor, unconscious. As a second clay object swung at him, he flipped back and formed a shadow clone. As they began to construct a Rasengan, his attacker stepped into the moon light.

It was a massive being comprised of what appeared to be living clay and dirt. It opened its mouth to laugh, revealing razor sharp teeth. Its hand transformed into a solid club and he raised it to strike. Dispersing his shadow clone, Naruto darted forwards and spun to avoid the creature's attack. He rammed his Rasengan through the thing's stomach, but it just cackled as his hand protruded out of its back. Naruto tried to pull back his hand, but the clay stuck firm and Naruto was unable to move. The thing raised its arm to strike, but the window above them shattered. Glass fell around them as Batman slipped to the floor on the gossamer wings of his cape. Before his feet had even touched the ground, he tossed exploding batarangs into the creature's arm.

The thing cried out as his arm disappeared in fire and it struck at Batman. Almost lazily, Batman raised a taser gun and shot the creature with enough volts to knock out an elephant. With a scream of agony, the creature melted into a puddle of clay, Nruto standing in the middle of it. He grit his teeth against the pain of the electricity as the hologram simulation ended around them and they appeared back in the Cave.

"I need to speak with Shinobi," said Batman as he holstered his taser, "Alone. The rest of you hit the showers and head home."

"Home?" Superboy grunted as he slowly pushed his aching body off the ground, "I am home." He and the others walked off towards the washrooms. Robin and Shinobi stayed behind.

Batman glared at Robin. "Just Shinobi," he said firmly. Robin blinked in surprise, but walked off with the others.

"You didn't have to intervene," said Naruto when he others were gone, "I had a shadow clone in the rafters waiting to drop down and possess his shadow."

"That's the problem, Shinobi," said Batman, narrowing his eyes, "Your training puts an emphasis on teamwork, and I approve of it. But lately, you haven't acted like a leader of a team; you've acted like a lone warrior, working by yourself without collaborating with any of the team."

Naruto scowled under his mask. "What are you trying to say?"

Batman sighed. "As much as I want to know your secrets, I will respect your privacy."

"Ooh," muttered Naruto in mock disappointment, "But Robin was just starting to get good at spying on me for you."

"The point is," said Batman, "You told me you were used to pain and loss, but ever since Kent Nelson died, you're head hasn't been in the game."

Naruto grunted. "Kent had the honor of dying in battle, fighting for what he believed in. It would have broken his heart if he had to die of old age. I will miss him, but I do not mourn him."

"Then it's something else," Batmen said forcibly, "For whatever reason, you've been off. As team leader, you can't afford this level of distraction. Either you're here 100% or you need to walk away. Make a decision, Naruto, and make it soon." Naruto glared at the caped crusader as he turned to the Zeta Tubes and left. Naruto stalked back to his room and slammed the door behind him.

"Who does he think he is?" he muttered as he tossed his mask over to the shelf.

"**He's right, you know, your mind has been split between the team and something else**."

Naruto collapsed on his bed and entered his mindscape. _Not you too._

"**You know what your problem is. You just don't want to face up to your failure.**"

_The cubs,_ Naruto sighed in conceit, _The witch boy took them and I have no idea where he hid them. I failed in my promise to protect them._

"**You need to find them**," Kurama pressed, "**If for no other reason than to get your mind back on the team.**"

_And how do you propose I do that? Your sensory skills don't cover the entire planet._

"**True, but that's no excuse for not trying.**"

_Fine. What do you suggest?_

Kurama laughed heartily. "**It's good to see that despite your momentary flashes of brilliance, you're still the number one knuckleheaded ninja."**

_What are you taking about?_

"**The Hyugas, kit, how did they find us?**"

_I assumed with their Byakugans._

"**I felt them in Gotham and the next night we run into them here in Happy Harbor. A Byakugan doesn't have that kind of range, kit. No, they had some way to track us. They knew where you were and showed up with Cheshire to head you off.**"

_Alright, so what's the plan then? Find the guy that wants to kill me and ask him to help us track down the cubs? Where do I even begin to describe how stupid that is?_ _I mean, how would we even find them?_

"**Well,**" reasoned Kurama, "**They came with members of the League of Shadows. They might know where they are.**"

_The Shadows are notoriously tight-lipped._

"**Are you forgetting about the super strong teen that lives down the hall? Not to mention the telepath?**"

Naruto's eyes widened. _When we fought the Shadows at the harbor, we took a few prisoners. Any idea where they'd be held?_

"**I'm sure it's on the League computer systems.**"

_Right, it's official_, Naruto stood up and grabbed his mask, _We're going after the cubs!_

Naruto left the room and heard noises from the kitchen. When he entered, he saw M'gann precariously trying to keep dozens of ingredients in the air while she baked. Superboy was watching nothing but static on the television.

"Hey, Naruto!" said M'gann brightly as she caught an egg before it fell, "Did you come to help me cook?"

"Actually, no," said Naruto as he caught a bag of sugar, "Um, Superboy, you want me to change the channel or something?"

"No," said the clone softly, "I like watching the electrons on this channel."

"Well, I need your help. Both of you."

M'gann put everything down on the counters. "What do you need?"

"When Klarion broke into the Tower of Fate, he stole…something important to me. I think it's time I got it back."

"So why do you need us?" asked Superboy as he glanced away from the screen.

"There's only a few people who can actually help me find the…things stolen, but only the only way I can find them is to interrogate the Shadow assassins we captured in the Dr. Sterling incident."

"And you need us for that?" smirked Superboy.

"You coming or not?" asked M'gann as her clothes morphed into her uniform/

"You're going?"

"I don't think my soufflé was coming out right anyway."

"Fine," sighed Superboy as he stood up and clicked off the television, "Better than watching electrons."

"To the Bioship then?" M'gann asked Naruto.

"First we need to find out where they're being held."

"That's easy," she said, "Rikers Island. I helped my Uncle J'onn deliver them to the maximum security wing."

"How far is it to New York?"

"Not long."

"Then let's move." They went to the hangar and climbed into the Bioship.

"So," said Superboy as he strapped in, "What exactly are we looking for?"

"It's…um," Naruto gulped. He probably should have thought this through a little more. "Just some personal stuff. Very sentimental and all."

"Don't worry," said M'gann as the Bioship shot out of the hangar and swung towards New York, "We'll help you get it back."

They were quiet as they flew to New York. It was only a few minutes thanks to the Bioship anyway. As they circled down to Rikers island, a contingent of armed guards waved them to a helicopter pad.

"So this is Rikers," said Naruto as he stepped out, "Not bad."

A large man in a green uniform approached them as they left the Bioship. "Ah, Ms. Martian!" he cried with open arms, "Good to see you!"

"Warden Jones!" she squealed as she dove forwards and wrapped the large man in a hug, "How are you?"

"Never better!" he said with a grin, "How have your cookies been coming?"

"They're getting there, but not where I want them to be yet," she admitted, "Warden Jones, this is Superboy and Shinobi. Guys, this is Warden Jones. We share baking tips."

"Nice to meet you, sir," bowed Naruto.

"Same," Superboy settled for folding his arms.

"So!" Warden Jones clapped his hands together, "What can I do for you heroes?"

Naruto stepped forwards. "You're holding a few League of Shadows assassins. We need to interrogate them."

"Heck!" cried the Warden jovially, "I can have that set up in ten minutes! Rodriguez! Get the Shadow assassins into the visiting room ASAP!" One of the guards reached for his walkie-talkie and spoke into it as the Warden wrapped his massive arms around the group and led them towards the prison. "As you can see, I run one of the most secure prisons in the country. Not anywhere near Belle Reve's level, of course, but we have our own bragging rights. We used to have Atomic Skull in the basement. Had him hooked up to a reactor. He powered half of New York City for six months."

They reached the prison gates and they swung open for the Warden and his guests. Once inside the prison's main facility, they were shown a staircase leading down into a basement. Down there was a room, one wall of which showed a second room beyond it, reachable only by a solid steel door on the wall. Inside the second room, two men in prison jumpsuits were chained to a table and chairs. A guard stood nervously in the corner. "W-we triple check them," he said with a gulp, "Nothing on them."

"Good," said Naruto as he headed for the door, "Wouldn't want to be surprised." He opened the door and walked inside, M'gann and Superboy right behind him. The Warden stayed in the first room. Naruto glanced at the wall and saw that on this side, it was a giant mirror. One-way glass, very interesting. Naruto pulled up a steel chair and sat across from the stoic assassins. "Hey guys," he said as M'gann and Superboy placed their own chairs on either side of him, "Remember us?" The assassins said nothing and didn't show any reaction, they just stared at Naruto with glares of indefinable emotion.

"Talkative, aren't they," muttered Superboy.

"So guys," Naruto continued, "I have a question for you and I really need an answer, okay? You know that night you attacked us in Happy Harbor? You had a couple of people with you. I need to know where to find them."

"_Naruto_!" M'gann snapped at him telepathically, "_Why didn't you tell us the people you were looking for were with the Shadows?_"

"_They aren't technically with the Shadows._"

"_Semantics!_" growled Superboy mentally, "_You lied to us!_"

"_Can we not do this now?_"

Naruto cleared his throat. "They're names are Hanabi and Hiruzen. They have grey armor, masks like mine, black hair, milky-pinkish eyes…ring any bells?" The assassin's eyes didn't even flicker as they continued their glares. "_M'gann, they're obviously not going to talk. Check their minds._"

M'gann focused and her eyes glowed white for a moment. "_No good,_" she said with a sigh, "_They're both just thinking of violent ways to kill you. They're actually quite imaginative._"

"My telepath friend can't read your minds," said Naruto, leaning back in his chair, "So we're going to try more direct methods. Superboy, break their arms."

Superboy got up and walked around the table. "_Naruto, we can't do that!_" M'gann hissed, "_They're in government custody! We can't hurt them!_" Naruto groaned and waved his hand. Superboy sat back down and one of the assassins grinned.

"It would appear you are out of options, Mr. Uzumaki."

Naruto smirked. "So at least you do know who I'm looking for. You wouldn't know my name otherwise." He reached up with a sigh and shifted his mask to the side. "I really hate using this," he said, "It feels like cheating, and I hate cutting corners. Superboy, Ms. Martian, look away." The two heroes glanced at each other around Naruto and slowly turned their backs to him. Naruto flipped up his eye patch and focused on building up the chakra in his eye. Of the three ultimate powers granted to him by Sasuske's Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, he was most proficient with this one.

"Tsukuyomi," he muttered as he opened his eye. The two assassins were glaring him in the eye and they were immediately put under the genjutsu. They found themselves in a world tinted red and black. They were standing in the middle of a field with a blood moon above them. "I am not very good at genjutsu," Naruto's voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once, "But this is an exception."

"Impossible," whispered one of the assassins, "We have been trained to deflect telepathic attacks and mental intrusion."

"This isn't a mental attack," Naruto rose up from the earth beneath them and the assassins backed away. Their hands flew up involuntarily and they found themselves strapped to twin whipping posts. "The Tsukuyomi is the ultimate illusion," explained Naruto as he slowly stabbed them both with katanas that formed in his hands, "It is so powerful, that even though you know it's an illusion, you still feel every ounce of pain I inflict on you." He spoke softly, but he was still heard over their screaming as he continued to stab them with more and more blades. "In this world, I control everything. Because I want to, every stab and wound you receive in this world feels ten times as intense. Because I want to, I've already been torturing you for two days, while in the real world; you've only been looking into my eyes for half a second. Because I want you too, you're going to tell be where I can find the Hyugas."

By now, both of the assassins were filled more with steel blades than blood or bone. Their cries of pain had been replaced by accepting whimpers of pure agony. Naruto looked them over for more places to stab them, but couldn't find any. With a flash, all the blades disappeared and their wounds were healed. As they panted in exhaustion, Naruto stabbed them both with katanas, starting their torture all over again.

"Okay!" shouted one of them eventually, "They train on Infinite Island!"

Naruto smiled. "Was that so hard?" He blinked and the Tsukuyomi faded away. The two assassins were sitting wide-eyed in their chairs, sweat pouring down their skin. "Well," Naruto stood up, flipping down his eye patch and shifted his mask back as M'gann and Superboy turned to stare at him, "Glad we had this talk, gentlemen." As Naruto left the room, the other two heroes glanced at each other and slowly followed him.

As Naruto entered the first room, Warden Jones grabbed him by the arm. "What did you do in there?" he demanded, "They look like ghosts!"

"Yes," Naruto wrenched his arm from the Warden's grip and started to climb back to the main level, "Ghosts, that's a fair comparison."

"Shinobi?" M'gann asked quietly, "What, um, what happened in there?"

"I found out the truth," Naruto walked out the main gate and cracked his neck, "Do either of you know where I can find Infinity Island?"

"I-I saw it on a map," stuttered Superboy, "It's in the Caribbean."

"Can you be more specific? That's a lot of ground to cover."

"I'm sure we'll find it," said M'gann.

Naruto turned to her as they reached the Bioship. "No, I'll find it. You two have played your parts. I'll take care of the rest of this."

Superboy and M'gann glanced at each other and folded their arms simultaneously. "Not a chance."

"I'm sorry," Naruto narrowed his eye, "You seem to be mistaking this as a request."

"And you seem to think you still seem threatening to us," smirked Superboy.

Naruto laughed aloud. "Did you not see me turn two hardened assassins into mental wreaks?"

"Yeah, and that was impressive and all, but we all know you'd never hurt us."

Naruto glared at him. "Touche, but you're still not coming." M'gann rolled her eyes and lifted her hand. Before Naruto could react, he felt himself being lifted into the air. M'gann walked forwards, Naruto moving into the Bioship ahead of her. "M'gann," he said with a sigh, "Put my down please."

"No," she said simply as she sat in the pilot's seat and Superboy sat at the helm. Naruto was slammed into a seat and belts folded tightly over his chest. As the Bioship rose into the air, Naruto tugged at the belts.

"You don't know what you're getting into!" he cried as he tried to rip them off of him, "This is my fight! My mistake!"

"Then enlighten us!" said Superboy, spinning in his seat. Naruto snarled and brought up his hands to make a seal. Straps shot out of the ship and wrapped around his wrists, pulling them apart.

"Look at it this way," said M'gann, "As our leader, you need to be one hundred percent with us. If you're distracted by a mistake or something stolen, then you can't lead us properly. We're just making sure our team stays fully-functional."

Naruto growled. "I…I really don't want to tell my story."

"You don't have to;" M'gann said gently, "Just tell us what we need to know to help you."

Naruto clenched his fists and struggled against his bonds for a minute. Superboy smirked and rested his arms behind his head. Eventually, Naruto sighed. "Alright," he breathed, "There are some things I can't tell you."

"Let's start with what was stolen," said Superboy.

"When I came to this world," Naruto said slowly, "I wasn't alone. I brought with me the essence of some…creatures from my home. Using magic and some technology from Earth, I managed to make clones of the creatures, cubs of their former selves. I kept them in the Tower of Fate where Kent could help me raise them, but when Klarion broke in-"

"He kidnapped the creatures," finished M'gann, "Naruto, that's horrible! I'm so sorry."

"That's not the worst part," Naruto muttered, "Those creatures wield incredible magical powers. As cubs, they're easily trained, and if they fell into the wrong hands, they could be raised to cause chaos, rather than prevent them as I intended."

"So what does this have to do with the Shadows?" asked Superboy.

"The Shadows are harboring two people who come from my world," Naruto sighed, "They may have a way to track the creatures."

"People from your world?" M'gann blinked, "Does that mean there's a way for you to go home?"

"No, Kent reinforced the barrier between the worlds before he died," Naruto grunted, "The assassins told me the people I'm looking for train on Infinity Island."

"How did you do that, by the way?" asked Superboy.

The corner of Naruto's mouth turned up. "Please, leave me some secrets."

"So we need to go to Infinity Island to get the help of two people from your world to help you find mystic creatures?" M'gann asked.

"That just about covers it," Naruto confirmed.

"What are these creatures called?" asked Superboy.

"Bijuu," Naruto replied, "Tailed Beasts."

"What do they look like?"

"They're each different, but have a different number of tails."

"Naruto," said M'gann nervously, "Hypothetically, how much destruction could these Bijuu cause?"

Naruto sighed and his stomach grumbled, not from hunger but from the chakra that made up the seal on his stomach. "It is said," he spoke softly, "That they could cause typhoons with a flick of their tails and earthquakes with their steps."

For a moment, they were all very quiet. "So," said Superboy, "We're dealing with some heavy-duty stuff, huh?"

"To put it mildly," Naruto grunted, "Can you let me go now?" The straps around his wrists retracted back into his seat and Naruto cracked his knuckles.

"**That was a mistake, kit.**"

_I know,_ Naruto replied and he tried to think of something else to say, but he couldn't think of anything that could possibly make the situation better._ I know._

They flew in silence for almost an hour as the Bioship shot down the eastern seaboard. Soon, they flew over the Floridian Peninsula. "The Caribbean Sea," murmured M'gann as the island of Cuba appeared in the distance, "Now comes the hard part."

"No," said Naruto, "The hard part comes later." They flew down over what Naruto guessed from his memory of Kent's geography lessons must be Haiti.

"I think it was in the middle," said Superboy as he peered out of the windshield into the sea beneath them. M'gann nodded and tilted the Bioship.

_Kurama, do you sense anything?_ Naruto asked his tenant as he gazed out over the expanse of the water. The demon did not reply. _Kurama?_

"**You shouldn't have told them about the cubs, kit**."

_It was your idea to bring them along._

"**You shouldn't have told them.**"

_Kurama, all we need to do is get the cubs back. That takes priority right now._

There was a moment of silence before Kurama sighed. "**A few hundred miles to the south-east**."

Naruto pointed out the window. "That way, a few hundred miles."

M'gann stared at him. "How can you tell?"

"I can sense them," said Naruto softly. M'gann slowly tore her eyes off of him and glanced at Superboy who shrugged. She nodded and steered the ship in the direction Naruto indicated. A few minutes later, a dark island appeared on the horizon. Naruto stood up and drew a kunai. "Superboy, Formation 2." Superboy nodded and stood, flexing his muscles. M'gann opened a hole in the ship floor as they flew high over the island. Through the hole, Naruto could see a facility built into a small mountain on the island. "Ready?" he said as he turned to Superboy. He looked just in time to see the teenage clone jump through the hole. "Impatient as always," he grunted. Through the hole, Naruto watched him fall to the ground on the island. He felt the shockwave from the seismic hit all the way on the Bioship.

"So, subtlety is out the window," said M'gann dryly.

Naruto turned to her and smirked. "These people we're dealing with can see through walls. Subtlety was never really an option." He Hiraishined to Superboy and the two boys nodded to each other. As one, they took off towards the facility. Already, Naruto could hear the alarms blaring in the building. Men in black suits with guns charged from the building towards the jungle.

"I should warn you," said Naruto as he jumped into the fray, "These people are very good. Not as powerful as me or as strong as you, but very good."

"Good to know." Superboy spun into the fight and tossed Shadow agents left and right while Naruto tossed a dozen kunai into the surrounding trees, using his Hiraishin: Second Step to dispatch enemies before they even realized he was near them. For a few minutes, it was a fairly simple fight. Bullets could not pierce Superboy's skin and Naruto was too fast to get a clear shot. It was fairly one-sided until twin flashes of grey, white, and black flew down from the building and bounded into the battle.

"Everyone back!" shouted Hanabi as she landed a solid kick to Superboy's jaw, making him spin from the force.

Hiruzen landed in the middle of Naruto's small minefield of kunai and adapted a twisted pose. "Gentle Fist!" he cried as he twirled, "Rotation!" Chakra poured out of his palms as he spun faster than the naked eye could follow. Naruto's kunai were flung into the air from the force of the chakra sphere. Naruto Hiraishined to one of them and plucked his kunai out of the air. He twisted in midair in time to see Hiruzen stop his rotation. "Gentle Fist! Air Palm!" He thrust his palm forward and a gale of wind struck Naruto in the chest, making him fly backwards. He landed with a grunt in the sand of the beach, his kunai scattered around him.

"I swear," Naruto muttered as he lay spread eagle on the sand, "That kid must have a Hyuga textbook or something." There was cry and Superboy burst out of the jungle, slamming into the sand next to Naruto.

"Sorry, Shinobi," he said with a groan, "I think I just landed on a few of your kunai."

"It's cool," panted Naruto, "She's a fighter, that Hanabi, isn't she?"

"Is that her name?" Superboy breathed deeply, "How old is she?"

"I don't know, mid-twenties maybe?"

Superboy sighed dreamily. "What a woman."

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," Naruto groaned. He lifted his head off the sand and saw the two Hyugas walking out of the jungle. In the distance, he saw a swarm of black-clad soldiers retreating to the facility. "It looks like it's just us and them."

"Good," said Superboy as he pushed himself up, "Without the Shadows around, we don't have to fight."

Naruto grimaced and rolled over in the sand. A bed of shuriken landed where he had just been. "Not exactly." He pushed himself up as Superboy stepped in front of him and took a barrage of kunai and shuriken to his invulnerable chest.

As the two Hyugas approached, Hiruzen reached for his blade. ""Uzumaki," he growled, "Thank you for saving us the trouble of looking for you."

Hanabi shot out her hand and grabbed Hiruzen's wrist before he could draw his sword. "Hold, Hiruzen," she said softly, her milky eyes narrowing, "You would not come here voluntarily, Uzumaki. And, ah, who's your friend?" Her eyes darted up and down Superboy's body and he met her gaze with a cocksure grin.

"Hiruzen, Hanabi, Superboy," he said introducing them all, "Can we move forward please?"

Hanabi let go of her nephew who reluctantly lowered his hand. "Why have you come here, Naruto?" he snarled.

Naruto sighed and folded his arms. "I need your help."

For a moment, nobody moved. Then Hiruzen laughed aloud. "Y-you need our help?" he giggled, "After all you've done to us, you expect our help?"

Superboy glanced at Naruto. "What didn't you tell us?" he whispered.

"Not now," Naruto breathed.

Hanabi maintained her composure. "Start talking, Uzumaki."

"First, I want your promise you won't kill me when I tell you."

"No chance."

Naruto grunted. "Well, I'm totally in a corner here, so I don't really have a choice."

Hanabi smirked. "I think the real reason you wear that mask is to hide the fact that you're a terrible liar. Why do you need our help?"

Naruto hesitated and took off his mask, dropping it in the sand. "When I came here," he said, "I carried the chakra of the Bijuu in my body. When I got here, I may possibly have maybe kind of created…cubs."

Hanabi and Hiruzen stared at Naruto. Then they turned and stared at each other. "Right," said Hanabi, drawing her blade, "So, we're going to kill you now."

"Get in line," sneered Hiruzen as he stepped forward with twin kunai.

"Wait!" Naruto threw up his hands, "I know you hate me already and resurrecting the Bijuu probably doesn't help, but hear me out." Hanabi leapt forwards and jabbed her blade at Naruto. It landed just a few millimeters short of his Adam's apple.

"Give me a reason not to," she snarled.

Naruto smiled. "You're a shinobi of the Leaf, Hanabi. You're smart enough to figure it out." Hanabi's eyes narrowed to the point of squinting. Slowly, she retracted her sword from Naruto's throat and sheathed it.

"Aunt Hanabi?" asked Hiruzen, his eyes never leaving Naruto, "What are you doing?"

"The Bijuu have gotten loose," she said with a sigh, "Without someone to rein them in, they'll wreak havoc across this world."

"So?" snorted Hiruzen, "This isn't our world."

"Hiruzen!" snapped Hanabi, "You are a shinobi of the Leaf, you have more honor than that!"

Hiruzen hesitated, but lowered his blade and hung his head. "Yes, Aunt Hanabi," he said with genuine remorse, "I…forgot myself."

"They didn't break loose," interjected Naruto, "They're actually pretty well behaved. But they were kidnapped and I don't want them falling into the hands of, for lack of a better word, evil."

"Agreed," Hanabi nodded, "That would be disastrous. We're just working with the League of Shadows for the security and intel, not for their ideology. To see them in control of the Bijuu," she hesitated and shivered, "Not good."

"So we'll take care of them," said Hiruzen, "Why shouldn't we kill him right now?"

Hanabi sighed and glared at Naruto. "Naruto is the probably the only person on the planet capable of taking on a raging Bijuu," she said, "He needs us to find them; we need him to take them down."

"That may not be nessesary," Naruto muttered, "I just want them back."

"Is it okay that I'm completely confused right now?" asked Superboy.

"Chill bro, I got this."

Hanabi grunted. "Everybody stand back." Naruto and Superboy stepped back as Hanabi collapsed to her feet. She flipped through several hand seals and slammed her hands against the sand. "Chakra Echolocation Jutsu!" she muttered. Naruto blinked as he felt a wave of energy wash over him.

Within him, Kurama perked up. "**Kit, that's the energy wave I felt a few weeks back! That must be what caused it!**"

Hanabi closed her eyes and breathed deeply. "Found them," she said softly, "I can feel their chakra. Give me a moment and I can put a tracer on them." She grunted and tensed up. After a moment, she opened her eyes and sighed in relief as she relaxed.

"Clever trick," said Naruto as she pushed herself to her feet, "You send out a wave of your chakra that covers the entire planet. Whenever it comes into contact with other chakra sources, it rebounds to you, letting you know where other ninja are around the entire world. It probably takes a lot out of you though."

"You completely analyzed my jutsu after seeing it just once," Hanabi narrowed her eyes, "One might think you had a Sharingan eye."

"No," said Naruto smoothly, "I was taught by Kakashi Hatake, remember?"

Hanabi nodded. "Right, I'd forgotten. You're right, this jutsu nearly depletes my chakra reserves. It'll take me a few hours to mold more. So, now that I've found them, we should get going."

"Indeed," said Naruto, "Ms. Martian?" Just above them, the Bioship flickered out of camouflage mode. M'gann appeared floating next to Naruto.

"You were here all along," Hanabi said with a small smile, "Very good."

"With her around, you never really had a chance," said Naruto dryly as the Bioship landed besides them and opened its hatch.

"I doubt that," Hanabi smirked, "I have a few Fire Style jutsu up my sleeve." They all climbed into the Bioship, Naruto sitting at the helm between Hiruzen and Hanabi, both of which regarded him with suspicion.

"Hanabi, right?" said M'gann as she sat in the pilot's seat, "I need you to navigate."

Hanabi pointed into the distance. "North east. Very far." M'gann nodded and focused.

As the ship lifted off the ground, Hiruzen looked out the window. "I will never cease to be amazed by the technology of this world," he murmured as the beach vanished in the distance, "The ability for men to fly without the assistance of the Third Tsuchikage."

Naruto perked up slightly. "How is the old fence-sitter?"

"He died a few years ago," said Hanabi, "In his sleep, peacefully."

Oh," Naruto winced, "He must have hated that."

"What? Dying?"

"No, dying peacefully. What about the other kages?"

Hanabi leaned back in her seat. "Well, Kurotsuchi became the fourth Tsuchikage. Remember her?"

"The old man's granddaughter?"

"That's the one. A is still Raikage, but he's getting on in years. Believe it or not, he got married to the Fifth Mizukage, Mei. Gaara is still Kazekage and Konohamaru became Hokage after Lady Tsunade died."

"How did Granny die?"

"She used the Soul-Transfer Jutsu created by Chiyo of Sunagakure to save Lady Sakura."

Naruto hesitated. "Sakura," he murmured to himself, "How are the others? The Konoha Eleven? Do they still call them that?"

Hanabi paused and glanced at Hiruzen. The teen's face had become stony as he glared down the window at the ocean passing beneath them. "They're alright for the most part," she said eventually, "Lady Sakura heads the Medical Division and serves as an advisor to the Hokage. Lord Sasuke went away to train in the Caves of Ryuchi. After he mastered Senjutsu, he returned to be an advisor to the Hokage as well. Shikamaru got married to the Kazekage's sister and somehow convinced her to live with him in Konoha. He's the top strategist in the village and became a Jonin teacher.

"Mmm, good for him."

"Tenten took over as the head of Konoha's weapon department and got married to, you won't believe this, Rock Lee."

Naruto turned and stared at her. "Bushy Brows? She got married to Bushy Brows? Why? She hated all his stupid phrases and ideals!"

Hanabi shrugged. "I guess she thought she could fix him. Anyway, Shino went off to study beetles in Takigakure and I heard he got hitched down there. Sai went on sabbatical a few years ago and wrote a letter back resigning as a shinobi of the Leaf, said he'd found a higher calling, whatever that means. Kiba, Choji, and Ino became Jonin and took over as heads of their respective clans. Ino and Choji had a kid together and got married."

"Saw that coming a mile away," grunted Naruto.

"Kiba had a few kids with a few different women. He helped me out in raising Hiruzen for old time's sake. I'm pretty sure he hit on me a few times."

"Don't blame him," Superboy whispered to M'gann. She rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand with her telekinesis and slapped him across the face. "I deserved that," he said with a grin.

"_You're turning into Wally,_" she said to him mentally, "_Trust me, you don't want to be a Wally_._ Girls don't like a Wally_."

"_Right, sorry_."

For a time, they flew on quietly. After a few moments, Hiruzen slowly turned to Naruto. "Aren't you going to ask?" he said slowly, "Aren't you going to ask about my mother?"

Naruto glanced at Hanabi. She shook her head very slightly. "I can imagine what happened to her," he said quietly.

"Then you know why I must kill you," snarled Hiruzen as he turned back to the ocean.

"No, I don't," Naruto sighed, "Listen, Hiruzen. I'm truly sorry for your loss. Hinata…she was a brave shinobi. I consider myself privileged to have known her and honored to be counted among her friends. I wish I could have been there for her…maybe I could have helped her."

"You could have saved her!" snapped Hiruzen, "You could have protected her! Instead you chose to abandon our world like a coward!"

Naruto clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking violently. "Come again?"

"You are a coward!" Hiruzen growled slowly, "And because you left, my mother suffered!"

Naruto slowly turned towards Hiruzen, who matched his deathly gaze with a defiant glare. "I made a promise," said Naruto slowly, "That I would never discuss why I left our world. And I always keep my promises. That's my ninja way, a nindo I shared with your mother. I can't tell you anything, but I can assure you that if I had to make the choice again, I would still come to this world."

"And if you could do everything over again?" asked Hiruzen softly, an angry sneer crossing his face, "Would you still reject my mother?"

"I never rejected her," Naruto said as he turned away, "I just…I never rejected her."

"No, you didn't," smirked Hiruzen, "Instead, you chased the girl who wanted nothing to do with you."

Naruto closed his eye and leaned forwards over the dashboard of the Bioship. "I was young," he said under his breath, "I didn't understand love. Heck, I still don't. If I could do it again, maybe I'd do things differently, I don't know. But it doesn't matter because I can't do it all over. I'm sorry Hinata's dead, Hiruzen, but there's nothing I can or could have done about it."

M'gann and Superboy were taking turns between staring wide eyed at each other and back to Naruto. Hanabi sighed and leaned against the dashboard as she gazed out to sea. Hiruzen turned away from Naruto with a huff and Naruto continued to stare forwards. For a few hours, they shot across the Atlantic Ocean in silence. As soon as a dark patch of land appeared on the horizon, M'gann perked up. "Ooh! Are we almost there?"

"Not quite," said Hanabi, "But we're getting close. What land is that?" A holographic map appeared on the windshield.

"Spain," said Superboy, "Do you think you could point out where we're headed?"

Hanabi stood up and stared at the map. "If I had to guess," she said slowly, "I'd say here." She pointed on the map.

"That's Paris," said M'gann with a frown, "The Bijuu are in Paris?"

"Don't question it," said Naruto, lifting his head, "Just be glad we got this far. Frankly, I didn't think we'd live past Infinity Island."

"At least we have a more direct heading," said M'gann as the ship tilted slightly. Hanabi was still standing and tumbled to the side.

Superboy shot up and caught her with deft accurately. "You okay?" he asked as he returned her to her seat.

"Fine," she said as her belts crossed over her chest, "Thank you." Superboy smiled warmly and sat in his seat. With an actual destination, M'gann was able to shoot directly towards Paris. It took only a few minutes before the Bioship was in camouflage mode, slowly circling around the tip of the Eiffel Tower. Hanabi put her hands in front of her and closed her eyes. "I can feel the chakra tracer I put on them. It's close, not too far to the south."

"Ms. Martian, move slowly to the south, Hanabi will direct you when we get closer," instructed Naruto. M'gann nodded and the Bioship slipped out of its orbit and began drifting south. For a few minutes, they drifted lazily over the Parisian skyline.

Suddenly, Hanabi's eyes snapped open. "They're right below us!" she hissed.

"Where are we?" asked Naruto as he rose from his seat. M'gann shrugged and opened a hole in the floor of the Bioship.

Superboy leaned over and looked down. "You have to be kidding me."

"What?"

"We're over the Arc de Triomphe." Naruto looked out and his shoulders drooped when he saw that Superboy was right.

"What now?" asked Hiruzen.

Naruto stood up straight. "We're going down. Ms. Martian, land us on the ground." M'gann nodded and slipped the ship through the arc itself. She slowly lowered it the ground, bringing it out of its camouflage mode. Tourists and Parisians alike gasped and backed away in fear as the ship landed. Naruto turned to Superboy. "You head out first."

Superboy blinked. "Why?"

Naruto pointed to the clone's chest. "They'll recognize the 'S'. It'll show we mean no harm." Superboy nodded as he stood up. The rear door opened and he walked out with his hands up in surrender. As soon as people laid eyes on his shielded chest, they breathed sighs of relief. Cries and cheers of joy and victory went up from the slowly growing crowd that surrounded the ship as the others walked out. Hanabi and Hiruzen grabbed their masks from their backs and whipped them over their faces.

"Hanabi?" said Naruto as his feet walked off the Bioship's ramp and onto the street.

Hanabi frowned and put her hands on the ground. "It's…it's further down."

"Paris has miles of catacombs beneath it," said Superboy, leaning down next to her. He put his ear down close to the ground and gently rapped the pavement. It cracked under the slight blow and Superboy frowned. "There's definitely something down there."

Hanabi looked at him with intrigue. "You took the idea of my Chakra Echolocation Jutsu and applied it with your super strength and super hearing. Very smart."

Superboy smiled as he lifted his head. "Thanks. The question is, how do we get down there?"

Hiruzen put his hands together and focused his chakra. "Byakugan!" he snapped and his eyes burst open behind his mask, "I can see the catacombs. There's some kind of facility down there, pretty big too."

"Can you see an entrance?" asked M'gann.

Hiruzen narrowed his eyes. "Not really. There are a few catacombs that lead off of it, but I can't see where they end." He closed his eyes and turned off his Byakugan before turning to M'gann. "Can you slide through the street?"

"No," she sighed, "That's too advanced for me."

"Mmm, pity."

Naruto leaned down and spread his hand over the pavement. _Any ideas, furball?_

"**Short of destroying a national monument? I got nothing.**"

Naruto turned to stare up at the Arc. "National monument," he whispered, "Alright, here's what we're gonna do. Superboy and I are going to drill straight towards the catacombs. Hanabi, we'll need your Byakugan to direct us."

"But if we break through the street, we'll destabilize the Arc," M'gann pointed out.

"That's your job," said Naruto, "Use your telekinesis to keep the Arc together and stabilize any breaks. Hiruzen, use the Byakugan to see where the structure is the weakest and help her keep it all together. Understood?" Everyone nodded and Naruto smiled. He brought up his hands in a seal and a dozen clones burst into existence. They ran outwards and quickly pushed the crowd back and away from the Arc.

Superboy cracked his neck. "Where exactly are we aiming?"

Hanabi looked straight down and activated her Byakugan. "Here," she said, stomping on the pavement.

"Good," said Naruto, flipping a kunai into the air he tossed it at the top of the Arc and Hiraishined to it, catching it before it could scratch the marble. From the top of the Arc, Naruto peered down at where Hanabi stood. "Get ready to move!" he called down as he made a clone. As one, they leapt off the Arc and swirled around each other. "Fang Over Fang!" Naruto declared as he hit the ground in twin swirling drills. Hanabi leapt away just in time to avoid being smashed into the earth. Naruto's clone burst away and Naruto leapt out of the small crater he'd made. People in the crowd away from them were beginning to whisper nervously.

Superboy grinned and jumped in and began pounding away at the ground. Naruto jumped down and pumped chakra into his arms as he joined him. "A little to the left!" shouted Hanabi as they continued to push downwards.

"How are they doing?" called Naruto.

Hanabi glanced over at the others. "They're keeping everything together." Naruto grunted as he pounded away at the earth. They were almost thirty feet deep before Superboy punched the ground and it caved away beneath them. Naruto used his chakra to cling to the wall of the tunnel they had formed, but Superboy was not so lucky. He tumbled down into the dark catacombs below with a grunt.

"We're there!" called Naruto up the tunnel.

"Ms. Martian needs a minute to stabilize the Arc!" Hanabi shouted back, "The facility is down the tunnel to your left! We'll catch up with you! Get the Bijuu!"

Naruto jumped into the dark of the catacombs and landed on his feet. "Superboy?"

"Right here."

"Please tell me you have eyes on something down here."

Superboy sighed. "I can see the facility, but the whole thing is lined with lead. I can't see a way in."

Naruto laughed. "Just lead on, big guy. I'll make us a door when we get there." Superboy grabbed Naruto by the shoulder and pushed him forwards through the dark. They only had to go a few dozen yards before Superboy stopped them.

"It's right in front of us," he said, "Now what?"

"Now, back away fast," Superboy blinked as Naruto carefully sat down and folded his arms in a meditative pose. Superboy backed away and Naruto breathed deeply. Slowly, Naruto stood up and formed two clones. "You may want to close your eyes," he said as the air in the catacombs began to move and swirl around, "Things are about to get bright." Superboy turned away and Naruto smiled. "It just occurred to me," he said, "The last time I used this technique was when we busted you out of Cadmus." He raised his jutsu over his head as the wind in the tunnel whipped itself to hurricane strength. "Wind Style!" cried Naruto, "Rasenshuriken!" He tossed the massive attack at the wall of the facility and it exploded in a giant sphere of light and wind. The metal sides of the facility were torn to shreds from the attack, shredded like cheese through a grater. Superboy winced from the force of the attack and took a step back.

Slowly, the jutsu died down and the light faded away. Without walls, the lights from the facility illuminated the catacombs. It was a very large building, several stories tall and hundreds of feet wide. It looked like he had destroyed several rooms with his jutsu, and their occupants did not look pleased. They ranged from scientists to ninjas to soldiers, but the one that caught Naruto's attention was a massive gorilla, standing surprised and angry in one of the rooms.

"Is that what I think it is?" asked Superboy as he stepped up next to Naruto.

"If you think it's a gorilla wearing a beret, then yes, yes it is."

"I hate monkeys."

"I'm pretty sure gorillas are apes," said Naruto, but Superboy had already jumped into battle. He tackled the gorilla and brought it to the ground as ninjas and soldiers swarmed around him and a contingent charged at Naruto. "I don't have time for this," sighed Naruto as the first wave of ninjas reached him. He spun through their ranks and dodged over their heads like the professional he was. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a kunai into one of the rooms where doctors were huddled. He ducked through a trio of ninjas and made a shadow clone to keep them busy before Hiraishining to his kunai.

The doctors gasped when the knife landed in the ceiling, but some of them downright screamed when Naruto appeared above them. He dropped down and flipped his kunai into his pocket. "Right," he said dryly, "You know what I want and you know where they are. Tell me before I start taking limbs."

"T-that way!" shouted one of the doctors, "The kennels are down the hall to the left!"

"Kennels," muttered Naruto as he kicked open the door and entered the facility proper, "Not one of them's a dog." He shot down the hall, not bothering to take in the building around him. All he focused on was the metal door at the end of the hall.

With a grunt, he charged straight into the door with enough chakra-infused force to bust it in.

"Well," muttered sandy Shukaku, the one-tailed raccoon, "It's about time." The cubs were each tied down on what appeared to be magical seals that pulsed with light every few seconds. They were just as he remembered them, small and young, each about the size of a large dog.

"Is everyone okay?" cried Naruto as he flipped out kunai and tossed them with perfect precision around the room severing all of their bonds.

"Yeah, we're cool," growled Isobu, the three-tailed turtle, "Nothing major."

"T-they kept us o-on these things," whispered the seven-tailed larva Chomei, "I-it took away our powers!"

"It's alright now," said Naruto, leaning down to them as they assembled around him, "I'm getting you out of here."

For a moment, there was silence and nobody moved. Son Goku, the four-tailed monkey, slowly shuffled his feet. "Listen here, Naruto-kun," he boomed in his deep voice, "We have been discussing our predicament and have decided to make the most of it."

Naruto blinked. "Um, what?"

"We've decided that four of us will stay," said Gyuki, the eight-tailed octopus-ox, "Shukaku, Matatabi, Chomei, and I will leave with you, but Isobu, Son Goku, Kokuo, and Saiken will stay behind."

Naruto blinked. "Um, I say again, what?"

"It be cool!" exclaimed Saiken, the six-tailed slug, "We be understanding the risks."

Naruto clutched his head. "Okay, hang on. Why would you want to stay behind? These guys kidnapped you!"

"Exactly," Kokuo, the five-tailed dolphin-horse, said silkily, "They're the bad guys you and Kent-sensei told us about."

"And you want to stay with them?"

"Son came up with the idea," said Matatabi, the two tailed cat, "The four who stay behind will act as double agents. They'll keep an eye on the bad guys and get messages back to you about what they're doing."

Naruto stared at them all from a moment before laughing. "There is no possible way that you could think I would agree to that."

"What's so funny?" asked Isobu, "You don't think it will work?"

"You're too young," said Naruto, "Untrained. It's too dangerous."

"You trained us for eight months," Gyuki pointed out, "We might not be as powerful or experienced as our predecessors, but we are the new Bijuu, the tailed beasts of Earth. We made a vow to protect this world and how better to do that than to know in advance how it's going to be in danger?"

"Besides," said Shukaku with a yawn, "Wasn't _your_ team built on the principle of preparing for the future?"

The building rocked and Naruto winced. "We really don't have time for this, guys."

"Exactly," said Matatabi, "So let's get out of here and leave the others as your spies."

"Guys, it's not happening."

"Okay then," Son folded his arms, "Stop us."

Naruto rubbed his forehead. "You have to be kidding me."

The building vibrated violently and Shukaku chuckled to himself. "You don't really have a choice here, Naruto-kun."

Naruto groaned in exasperation. "Fine, I'll have to do this quick then."

"D-do what?" whispered Chomei nervously.

Naruto drew a small scroll out of his pocket and unfurled it on the ground before them. "Ooh! A summoning scroll!" Saiken clapped in excitement, "You be figuring out how it worked!"

"Yeah," said Naruto, glancing nervously at the door behind him, "It was actually a lot simpler than I thought. But I need you to sign it right now so I can summon you out of here if things get too rough."

"Deal," said Gyuki with a grin. As one, each Bijuu bit their hands until they drew blood and quickly scribbled their names on the contract.

Nauto pricked his thumb with a kunai and wrote his name at the top of the contract before furling it back up. "Alright, those who are coming, let's get out of here."

"You heard the man," said Matatabi, "Team Beta, move out!"

As the four Bijuu who were leaving ran for the door, Naruto turned back to the four that stayed. "Promise me you'll be safe," he whispered quietly.

"We be promising!" cheered Saiken.

"And we always keep our promises," smiled Isobu.

"Just like our sensei," Kokuo nodded in affirmation.

"Now get out of here!" shouted Son, pointing to the door.

"Good luck guys!" Naruto shot after the cubs. The four beasts charged ahead of him, pushing the few people who were in the halls out of the way. "This way!" shouted Naruto, leading them through the door he had entered through. The doctors and scientists were still huddled in the corner, but they were now joined by numerous unconscious ninjas. Naruto poked his head out and ducked back in just as a ninja flew by him, his ribcage completely broken by Hiruzen's Twin Lion Fist.

"Shinobi!" Naruto looked out to see M'gann in the thick of the battle. She had arms sprouting out of her body at various points while she fought off a wave of ninjas. "We need to get out of here!"

"I have the Bijuu!" shouted Naruto, "Let's go!"

"I got this," growled Shukaku lazily, "Coming, Matatabi?"

The cat glanced at him. "I thought you had this.

"I thought I'd offer."

"Well thank you. I think I'll accept." She growled and her claws grew from her paws. They were as long as knives and sharper than swords. Her flaming skin grew hotter and she crouched down. Shukaku raised his tail and sand dripped down from its tip. As it hit the ground, it formed a spiral of floating sand around his body. They leapt out simultaneously with twin roars and ripped through the fray like the demons they were. Naruto leapt forwards and grabbed Hiruzen, pulling him out of the way before Matatabi tore through the ninjas around him like a fiery hurricane. As Hiruzen watched the Bijuu, Naruto turned to see Superboy grinning as he grappled with the gorilla.

"Is this the power of the Bijuu?" Hiruzen whispered, eyes wide in awe.

"And the best part?" Naruto grinned, "She's still a cub. Room to grow. Now let's go!" Superboy and Hanabi leapt back as Shukaku ran past them, his sand spiking out to punch ninjas in the face. M'gann floated above them all and used her telekinesis to form a path to the catacombs. Chomei and Gyuki wrapped themselves around Naruto and he jumped to the path and ran to the catacombs, everyone else right behind him. Shukaku and Matatabi tore themselves away from their onslaught and darted after the others.

"Can we bring down the cave?" Hanabi called.

"On it!" grunted Superboy. He punched the wall of the catacomb with enough force to break through solid steel. The roof of the cave began to rumble and collapsed behind them as they jumped up through the tunnel they had formed. Shukaku brought up the rear and sealed the tunnel behind him with his sand.

"We did it," panted Superboy, "We freaking did it."

"The Arc's still standing I see," Naruto motioned.

"Wow," whispered Gyuki, "We've never been outside the Tower before."

"Ah!" shrieked M'gann, "It talks!"

"Ah!" screamed Shukaku dryly, "It's green! See, not so fun to be made fun of, is it?"

"Now what?" asked Hanabi. Naruto looked up. The clones he had made were still holding back the crowd, but he could sense their anxiety from where he stood.

"Let's go home," he said with a sigh, "You guys need a ride back?"

"No," said Hanabi firmly, "As much as I hate you, I trust the Bijuu in your hands. Is there a reason you couldn't get the other four?"

"They elected to stay behind," said Naruto, "But they remain friendly."

"Then we have no further business together. Although," her eyes narrowed, "There are some things we need to discuss. I don't think it's a coincidence that Lord Sasuke emerged from the portal all those years ago missing his left eye, and here you stand with a patch over the same eye. Regardless, I think this is the end of our temporary alliance. Next time we meet, our feud resumes." She turned and walked off towards the crowd, disappearing abruptly into its depths.

"She's right," said Hiruzen, his voice cold and hard, "This doesn't change anything."

"Yes it does," said Naruto, "I know the truth now."

"The truth?"

Naruto leaned down and put a hand on Hiruzen's shoulder. "There is good in you, Hiruzen," he said softly, "You were genuinely concerned about this world and you wanted to protect the people in it. You contain the Will of Fire, and even if you do end up killing me, I'll know I died at the hands of a good man."

Hiruzen glared at him. "So long as you recognize I will kill you one day."

Naruto laughed and straightened up. "The main part of that phrase is 'one day'. If you train your butt off every day and work on making new and powerful techniques, then maybe one day you'll reach my level. Just remember, there are no shortcuts to success."

Hiruzen smirked. "Thanks for the advice. I'll be sure to remember it when you choke on my shuriken." He ran towards the crowd and vanished as easily as his aunt.

"You know," Superboy put his hand on Naruto's shoulder, "I don't really like being kept in the dark, but I get the feeling you're not going to tell us anything more than you already have."

"Trust that feeling," said Naruto, "M'gann? We need to swing by Salem." He climbed back into the Bioship with the four Bijuu in tow. Chomei remained latched to his back in fear.

. . .

"Are you sure we have to stay here?" asked Gyuki.

"I need to make sure you're safe," said Naruto, "You have room to run around in the Tower. Room to train and grow."

"But the bad guys know where the Tower is," Matatabi warned.

"T-they can't get in here, c-can they?" whispered Chomei.

Naruto turned to Chomei and bent down so they were eye level. "Lucky-Seven Chomei," he murmured, stroking the larva's skin, "You're already going through the metamorphosis. You're exactly right, Matatabi. The bad guys do know the Tower is here. That's why we're moving it."

The Bijuu stared at each other and back to Naruto. "Say what?" asked Shukaku.

"Leave it to me," said Naruto. He walked out of the nursery the cubs lived in and closed the door behind him. "Believe it." Tears of pride and sorrow ran down his cheek. Was this what it was like for Kakashi-sensei and Pervy-sage? To see their students grow up and grow stronger and more mature. The cubs weren't even halfway grown into their adult forms, but already they were so strong and powerful, but also in control and careful.

As he wept, Naruto took the Helmet of Fate off of Kent's desk. He had summoned it to the Tower using runes he'd found in Kent's office. Slipping it over his head, he felt the rush of mystic energy flow through them. Nabu's presence formed in his mind.

"_Oh,_" groaned the Lord of Order with a huff, "_It's you. I must admit, I'd hoped never to see you again_."

"Don't get your metal in a twist," sighed Naruto, "I just needed the authority of Dr. Fate to move the location of the Tower."

"_This has always been a location of great magical energy_."

"And now it's been compromised. Where are we moving it too?"

"_If you insist on moving the Tower of Fate, then the best place would be the place you would call…Atlantic City_."

Naruto nodded and a golden ankh formed before him. He stepped through and found himself outside the tower. With a wave of his hand, the Tower slowly vanished.

"Are we done here?" asked M'gann quietly.

Naruto turned and took off the Helmet. "Yeah, we're done."

"Are you focused on the team?"

Naruto smiled and rubbed his thumb, still scabbing over the wound he'd made to sign the contract. "Yeah, I'm focused."

. . .

As Superboy, M'gann, and Naruto walked into the Cave hall, Batman and the rest of the team turned to them. They were assembled around a hologram scream.

"Well?" asked Batman.

"I'm here, aren't I?" grinned Naruto, "100%."

"Good," said Batman with a nod, "Because we have a problem. Four hours ago, Watchtower sensors picked up a massive power surge in the Bialyan desert…"

. . .

In the middle of the Siberian Tundra, two men sat on the cold earth. One was large and muscular and wore a hockey mask and the other was a tall, blue-skinned man with black hair and red armor.

"You know," said the man in the hockey mask, "It's kind of beautiful in a way."

"You could say that," said the other man, "Aesthetically?" Above them, a mass of swirling black and red energy warped around itself in lovely patterns in the air. "Yes quite lovely, but practically? It's a cloud of pure chaos and if you touch it, it rips your soul from your body."

"Ah, I see," said the hockey masked man, "Suddenly not so beautiful."

"Still, even in the ugliest mess," sighed the blue man. From the cloud dropped a small figure that landed smartly on four legs. The cloud immediately dispersed and vanished into the Russian night. The figure shook off a layer of pure, wet chaos to reveal an orange striped tabby cat. "Beauty bursts forth," finished the man as he got to his feet.

"And from beauty, chaos," said the man with the hockey mask and stood as the cat meowed. The sound rang across the tundra and the air around it shimmered briefly before a small, young man in a black tuxedo appeared next to it, stroking its fur.

"That you, Klarion?"

The young man stood and raised his head to the sky. "I am going to kill that kid," he said softly.

. . .

Thanks for all the reviews! Keep 'em coming!


	10. Bereft

Same disclaimers and italics as before.

Chapter 10: Bereft

Naruto groaned and opened his eyes only to close them again. The sun was high in the sky and it glared down on him with painful rays. "Ooh," he moaned as he brought a hand to his head. It was pounding in agony and his skull throbbed. "I swear, if this is one of Kent's pranks, I'm going to kill him." Slowly, he pushed himself to his feet and opened his eyes again. For a moment, he panicked when he couldn't see out of his left eye, but quickly soothed himself when he realized he was wearing some kind of patch over it.

He pulled off his mask, which he was wearing for some reason, and ripped off the black cloth that covered his most precious gift. He blinked as his Sharingan adjusted to the extreme light, but his dizziness soon passed and he looked around. He appeared to be in some kind of desert, sand underfoot with boulders and plateaus as far as the eye could see. Naruto bent down and felt the sand. It was soft and silky, just like the sand in Suna.

"Kent?" he said softly, "Did you do it? Did you find a way to return me home?" Naruto stood up with a slight frown and looked down at himself. He was wearing grey ANBU armor over his usual orange outfit. He checked his back pocket and felt his ninja tool kit. He withdrew a kunai and blinked in surprise. It was one based on his father's design, tri-pronged with a Hiraishin formula wrapped around the hilt. With a grunt, he put it back in his pocket.

Naruto closed his right eye and slowly spun in a circle, analyzing the terrain with his Sharingan. He couldn't detect any chakra signatures on the horizon and eventually sighed and gave up.

_Kurama, do you know where we are?_ There was no reply and Naruto sat down with a scowl as he retreated into his mindscape. Before him, Kurama stood stock still, frozen in place with an expression of surprise and fear on his ferocious maw. _Kurama?_ Naruto reached out and patted his friend's furry left flank. _Furball!_ Naruto tried to access some of Kurama's chakra, but he couldn't squeeze out a single droplet.

Naruto left his mindscape and stood up. "Okay," he said with a growl, "What exactly is going on?" He stepped forwards and slid down the dune he was standing on. He looked over the horizon and bent down. With a grunt, he ran forwards with his arms flailing behind him. His feet hit the sand like a flat rock skimming over water.

"_Hello?_" Naruto tripped over his feet and skimmed several dozen yards with a series of grunts and groans. He slammed into a boulder with a cry and slid to the ground.

"Ow," he muttered, "I'm used to voices in my head, but that was unexpected."

"Hi!" Naruto spun around, drawing a kunai and flipping it around expertly. Behind him, the most adorable, lovely girl he had ever seen was floating a foot off the ground. She had red hair with a streak of blonde in it. Her skin was green and a splash of freckles decorated her nose. She wore a black uniform with a red 'X' over her chest and a blue cloak around her shoulders. "I'm M'gann! I-is this Earth?"

Naruto slowly backed away. "Evidently," he said slowly, "What are you?"

"I'm a Martian! Have you heard of my Uncle J'onn? The Martian Manhunter?"

Naruto rocked on the balls of his feet. "I've heard of him. Never seen him before, though. Do all Martian's have green skin?"

M'gann blinked and folded her arms in front of her. "Um, no, some of them are white."

"Uh-huh," muttered Naruto, "So, ah, where are we exactly?"

"It looks like a desert."

"Very astute of you. So, now that we've established we're in a desert, we should probably find some kind of civilization."

"Sounds good."

"So, I'm going to put away my kunai, okay?"

"Why are you telling me?"

Naruto hesitated and sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Okay, nevermind, you're clearly not a threat."

He pocketed the kunai and M'gann stared at him. "What's wrong with your eye?"

Naruto blinked in confusion before he remembered just how he was looking at her. "You mean this?" he said, indicating to his left eye, "It's my Sharingan. It was a parting gift from a friend of mine."

"Oh," she said slowly, "Cool."

"So, do you know which way the nearest village is?"

"No, but I don't think that's an issue."

"Why's that?"

M'gann pointed into the distance. "I think civilization is coming to us." Naruto looked and saw a dust cloud in the distance. He narrowed his Sharingan and peered at the cloud. He saw three massive machines moving towards them, each piloted by men in green uniforms.

"What are those things?" he asked.

"I think they're tanks," said M'gann, "I saw them on a news feed once."

"Are they dangerous?"

"Only if they're driven by bad people." The engines of the tanks roared as they circled around Naruto and M'gann.

"Hands up!" shouted a soldier that popped out of one them, "The Queen wants you alive!" He spoke in a strange language, but Kent's multilingual spell translated it for Naruto.

He scowled. "I don't like people ordering me around."

The long guns of the tanks swiveled to face Naruto. "I said hands up!"

Naruto backed up so he was back to back with M'gann. "What do you think? I can take these guys if you want me to."

"I don't know," she whispered back, "I still don't know how I got to Earth in the first place."

Naruto closed his left eye and began to amass chakra in his Sharingan. "Stay behind me," he intoned quietly, "Until we know what's going on, I say we avoid being taken places."

M'gann nodded. "Sounds good to me. What are you going to do?"

"Turn them to ash with my Amaterasu. Just stay out of my sightline and you'll be fine. In fact, take my hands," M'gann quickly laced her fingers with Naruto's, "When I turn, you turn. Got it?"

M'gann nodded. "I got your back."

"On three then. One, two," there was a whistling sound as something flew through the air and landed with a craterous crash in front of Naruto, veiled by a thick cloud of sand that had burst up when it landed. As the dust settled, a muscular teen boy with a ripped black shirt stood up and glared angrily at the tanks. The soldier timidly retreated into his tank as a round was shot point blank into the teen boy's chest. Naruto winced at the smoke and fire that erupted around the strange teen, but it cleared to reveal that the teen boy was totally unaffected. Well, perhaps not completely unaffected, he was now much angrier.

With an animalistic roar, the teen launched himself at the tank and ripped it in half with his bare hands. Naruto's eye widened and he opened his Sharingan as he stared at the boy. M'gann stood next to him and watched in awe as he turned what was left of the tank into scrap mental. The other tanks swiveled their guns to face the new threat and the boy screamed in fury as more shots were loosed on him. He jumped in front of one of them and grabbed it by the barrel of its massive gun. With a grunt, he picked up the tank and swung it into the distance. Everyone watched as the tank exploded as it landed in the desert.

The mystery boy launched himself after it, the rest of the tanks following him and pelting him with pesky mortar shells that he brushed off like bugs. Naruto and M'gann stood frozen in place for a while as the tanks and the boy vanished into the depths of the desert. "Well," sighed Naruto in surrender, "That's all good then. Now, if someone could just tell me WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED?!"

"I," started M'gann, "I have no idea."

Naruto fell back on his haunches and rubbed his aching head. "Okay," he muttered angrily, "Let's start at square a. I fell asleep in my room in the Tower of Fate last night and I woke up in the middle of the desert with no recollection of how I got there. I try to talk with Kurama, but the furball is frozen for some reason. Then, I run into an alien girl. Then, said alien girl and I are attacked by a group of soldiers in tanks who are in turn attacked by a kid who could be the love child of Sasuke and Tsunade."

"Same here," said M'gann grimly, "Except I have no idea who Kurama, Sasuke, or Tsunade are. I fell asleep on Mars and just woke up here out of the blue."

Naruto grunted as he stood up. "Let's move."

"Why?"

"Because those tanks know we're here and so does crazy mcstrongboy. When they're done playing with each other, they'll want to find us again."

M'gann chewed her thumb nervously. "Oh. I didn't think of that."

"It's cool," said Naruto as he began to walk.

"Do you know where you're going?" M'gann asked as she floated behind him.

"Haven't the foggiest."

"Oh," she said quietly, "Okay then."

After a few minutes of walking, the martian was sweating profusely. Naruto glanced over at her. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she said, wiping her brow, "Just…my physiology is used to…colder climates." Naruto hesitated for a moment before snapping off the latches of his armor. As it fell off his chest, he unzipped his jacket and took it off, leaving him in nothing but his sandels, pants, and mesh undershirt.

"Here," he handed the jacket to M'gann as he latched his armor back up, "Martians are telekinetic, right? Just hold it up and you'll get some shade."

M'gann lifted the jacket into the air and unfolded it so it cast a long shadow over both her and Naruto. She sighed contentedly as her skin cooled in the nice shade. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

M'gann sighed contentedly and gazed around. "I still can't believe I'm on Earth! I've always wanted to come here. It's not exactly as I imagined, but it's still really cool. I just wish I could remember how I got here."

Naruto shrugged. "Aren't Martians telepathic? Can't you kind of, I don't know, look inside your own mind, or something?"

M'gann's eyes widened. "Oh! That's a great idea! Hang on!" M'gann folded her legs and floated in mid air. Her face scrunched up in concentration as her eyes glossed over and began to glow. "I remember," she whispered, "The boy we saw…his name is Superboy…I made cookies for our team."

Naruto stopped and stared at her. "Team?"

"Yes," she murmured, "We're one a team with Superboy…a boy called Wally…Artemis…Robin." Her eyes burst open and she practically tackled Naruto with a hug. "I'm on a team!" she squealed excitedly, "I have friends!"

For a moment, Naruto stood still letting her embrace him. She realized what she was doing and pulled back with a deep blush that contrasted beautifully with her green skin. "It's a start," said Naruto, "Do you think you can find the other members of our team? That might be the key to restoring our memories."

M'gann nodded and focused again. "_Hello?_" her voice rang in Naruto's head, "_Um, Team? Can anybody hear me?_" After a few seconds, there was still no response and M'gann grunted. "They must be out of my telepathic range."

Naruto groaned and rubbed his forehead. "Do you think you can carry me?"

"What?"

"We need to find our team. You can fly and I can't. Can you carry me while you fly so we can track them down from the air?"

M'gann lifted her hand and Naruto cried out as he became weightless and tumbled into the air. "I think I can manage," M'gann grinned as she lifted herself into the air. Naruto gulped as they flew higher and higher together. As they soared out over the desert, he tried to stabilize his heartbeat and looked out over the landscape. His Sharingan picked up everything from lizards poking their heads out of their small dens to a few desert eagles fighting over a dead mouse a few miles away.

"You getting anything?" he asked hesitantly.

"Nothing yet," said M'gann as she twirled around a small plateau.

Naruto sighed and looked to the west. The sun was slowly setting casting a red hue over the desert sky. "Beautiful," he mumbled to himself.

"I know, right?" M'gann flew up next to him.

He offered her a small smile. "It's not the only thing." M'gann blushed and tucked a hair behind her ear. It reminded him of Hinata and how she'd acted around him. Suddenly, an image flashed in his mind of a tall man with long black hair and three eyes, the third one poking out vertically from his forehead. His face was marred by an ugly sneer as he rose up into the sky, silhouetted against a bloody moon that reflected a giant Rinnegan.

"Naruto?"

He shook his head and the image faded. "Sorry, I had a flashback."

"Anything that could help?"

"No, just ancient history," he narrowed his eyes, "But I did just find our missing team."

M'gann blinked. "How? Where?"

Naruto smirked and tapped under his left eye. "There are few things my Sharingan can't see. That way. The kid we ran into earlier is there with a couple others and some tanks."

M'gann immediately swiveled and launched in the direction Naruto had indicated. Sure enough, a smoke cloud soon appeared on the skyline. As they grew closer, Naruto saw the boy from before ripping into more tanks while a red-headed boy in a black, streamlined suit ran in the opposite direction so fast that even the Sharingan had a hard time keeping up with him. When he did get a fix on him, Naruto saw he was carrying a girl in a green uniform who wielded a bow. As he watched, the speedster tripped over a rock and fell across the sand, skidding slightly from the momentum. As he and the girl rolled to a stop, twin drones flew overhead.

M'gann dropped Naruto to the sand and he dashed forwards. "Down!" he grunted, grabbing both of the teens by their collars and forcing them to the sand as bullets rained down above them.

"Who're you?!" shouted the speedster as the drones flew past.

"A friend, I think!" As the drones began to circle around, the archer drew an arrow and took aim.

"_Don't worry! We're here!_" M'gann shouted telepathically. The archer's shot swung wide as she stumbled in surprise.

"Did-did you just here a girl in your head?!" she gasped.

"Girls are always on my mind," quipped the speedster as he caught his breath, "But they're not usually talking."

"Classy," grunted Naruto. Suddenly, the two drones spun into each other with a fiery explosion that rocked the dunes. M'gann became visible and flew down in front of the fire, casting a warm shadow over her body. Naruto almost felt obligated to whistle. "Has anyone ever told you you're beautiful when you're blowing stuff up?"

M'gann smiled sheepishly as she landed. "Sorry, Naruto, I think your jacket just burned up."

Naruto grimaced. His jacket had been one of the few things he had managed to keep from his own world, and on top of that, it had been a gift from Jiraiy. Still, it was just a jacket. The speedster sighed in relief and stepped forwards. "Well, J'onn, the costume looks familiar, but I'm not sure the new bod really screams 'Manhunter'."

M'gann's eyes widened. "You know my Uncle J'onn?" She abruptly slapped herself on the forehead. "Hello Megan! Of course you do! You're Kid Flash! Wally!" She turned to the archer. "And you're Artemis!"

"And this guy is?" the archer, Artemis, asked, jerking her thumb at Naruto.

"Naruto," he said simply, "I'm with her."

"Wait, wait!" sputtered the speedster, apparently named Wally, in confusion, "Martian Manhunter's your uncle? Is that how you know my name?"

Artemis turned. "Your name's really-Yowza! What's up with your eye?!" She cried as she saw Naruto's left eye.

"Dude!" shouted Wally as he saw what had surprised Artemis, "That can't be natural."

Naruto shrugged. "It's my Sharingan. I use it to see secrets and sometimes I use the powers it gives me."

"You can see secrets?" said Artemis, subconsciously covering her chest with her bow.

"It's okay!" insisted M'gann, "We're teammates! Friends! I made you cookies!"

Artemis looked past Naruto at Wally, trying not to stare at the Sharingan. "You know her?"

Wally raised his hands in defense. "No! I swear beautiful! Never seen her before in my life!"

M'gann sighed in disappointment. "You both lost your memories too, huh?"

Naruto looked in the distance. "We should move. It looks like things are getting messy out there." The others looked where he inticated and nodded in agreement when they saw the dozens of smoke plumes and wreaked tanks that the feral boy had left in his wake.

"I'll fill you in as we go," said M'gann, "Robin and Superboy need our help."

Wally sighed as Artemis began to follow Naruto and M'gann. "Of course. Robin and Super-what now?"

As they walked along, M'gann told Wally and Artemis about the tanks and what she'd managed to remember. By the time she was finished, the red sky was turning black and a silver moon was rising.

"So what now?" asked Artemis.

Naruto grunted and cracked his neck. "We keep walking. Eventually we'll hit civilization and we can work things out from there." Suddenly, he stopped and Artemis bumped into him.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "There's a boy dressed like a traffic light a few dunes over that way," he said quietly, "He's moving east."

M'gann gasped. "That must be Robin!"

"Let's move!" The team ran after Naruto as he led them through a maze of sand dunes. The sand was fairly loose, which made it possible for Naruto to see straight through the dunes with the Sharingan. "He's under attack!" he hissed, "An ambush! Wally! Go ahead and help him!" Wally nodded and shot forwards past Naruto. "Artemis! Up on that dune! M'gann! Go invisible and get a bird's eye view! Move!" The two girls nodded and split up as Naruto rounded a dune.

A large group of soldiers were attacking the oddly dressed boy who Naruto guessed must be Robin. Wally had run between several of them and laid their guns in a pile while Robin demonstrated exemplary hand-to-hand combat with the soldiers. In the middle of the action was a large machine.

Naruto darted forwards and made six clones. Two of them stayed with him and made a Rasengan in each hand. Naruto hit two soldiers from behind with the attack and they went flying with twin cries of surprise and pain. He spun and landed a round-house kick on a third soldier and swept the legs out from under a fourth as he rammed his elbow in the fallen soldier's face, knocking him out hard.

With a grunt, Naruto ran forwards. Four clones had positioned themselves quarterly around the last soldier. As one, they charged him and slid on the sand. They kicked him into the air and Naruto jumped forwards, using one of his clone's back as a launch board. "Uzumaki Barrage!" he hissed with a satisfied grin as he slammed his foot into the soldier's stomach, sending him back to the earth with enough force to break a cinderblock. Luckily, the only thing the soldier could land on was sand, but it was still enough force to knock him out. As Naruto landed, his clones dispersed and he turned to face the group.

Robin shook hands with Wally. "KF! Good to see a familiar face!"

"Memory loss?" said Wally sympathetically.

"Six months! Let's hog tie these creeps and compare notes." Naruto made a dozen clones that ran out to personally tie up each of the soldiers as M'gann enlightened Robin.

"So, we're a team," he mused eventually.

"Yes, the five of us and Superboy," M'gann confirmed.

"Superboy, huh? This must be his," Robin drew out a ripped, black cloth with a red 'S' emblem on it.

"Yes!" said M'gann, "Did you see him?"

"Was it feral boy?" asked Wally with a grunt, "Some teammate. He attacked us!"

"He didn't know who we are," defended Artemis, "I don't know who we are!"

"I remember Batman ordering Radio silence," offered Robin, "Our team must work for him!"

Wally raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? How do you know our team doesn't work for my mentor?" He poked himself on the chest and his outfit suddenly morphed to a red and yellow variant. "Whoa!" he said in surprise as he pressed his chest again and his uniform turned back to black. The others quickly tried to press their emblems, but nothing happened. Artemis swatted at Wally's hand as he kept pressing his chest.

"We need our memories back!" she complained. M'gann looked around guiltily and focused her mind. There was a flash and Naruto stumbled forwards. He looked around and saw he was surrounded by darkness. His teammates stood by him, all equally confused. From the darkness, M'gann emerged, brining with her a small dome of purple crystals that flashed brief images.

"Where are we?" he asked.

M'gann stepped forwards, each step illuminating the space. "I brought you into my mind," she said nervously, "To share what I've remembered so far."

"This is your mind?" Naruto looked around in awe, "What do you know? Beautiful inside and out."

"I need your help," said M'gann, trying desperately not to blush in front of the others, "Together, our broken memories can form a whole, if you allow me into your minds."

Artemis folded her arms. "You want to paw through our private thoughts?"

"No! No!" cried M'gann, "I don't want to intrude, but-"

"You need to hack our minds to rock what happened to us," interrupted Robin lazily, "Got it. Go."

Wally grinned. "My brain's all yours! Try not to be overwhelmed by its brilliance."

Robin snorted. "Or underwhelmed. Hey, why isn't anybody just whelmed?"

Naruto shuddered and shook his head. "Déjà vu," he muttered.

M'gann looked over. "You okay, Naruto?"

Naruto was about to nod in ascension, but he suddenly remembered Kurama, frozen and silent in his mind with no explanation as to why. "I don't know if that's such a good idea."

"Why not?" said Robin, "Got something to hide?"

Naruto clenched and unclenched his fists, his mind racing for an excuse. "I-I'm having some…trouble with my mind right now. I don't know exactly what's happening and until I figure it out, I don't know if it'll be safe for anyone in there."

Wally folded his arms. "So wait, we have a loony on our team? Something doesn't smell right here."

Naruto growled angrily. "Fine. But be careful, okay? I don't want anyone getting hurt."

Artemis still looked hesitant, but Wally saw her expression and gently took her hand to reassure her. "Just the last six months," she said with a sigh, "And only what you need." M'gann nodded and psychic hands grew from her head and grabbed each of their minds. With a flash of blinding light, Naruto remembered everything.

He remembered being Shinobi with the team. He remembered the Shadow Possession Jutsu, the Hiraishin, and the Fang over Fang. He remembered Kent's death and how the cubs had been kidnapped and rescued. He remembered walking into the Cave where Batman was giving a debriefing.

. . .

"The Watchtower detected an immense power surge in the Bialyan desert," said Batman, "Spectral analysis revealed elements non terrestrial in origin. Find out what happened at that site, what landed there." Naruto glanced around at his team, all in costume and itching to leave. "Bialya is a rogue state," continued Batman, "Ruled by Queen Bee, it is not a member of the League's U.N. charter. All communications are subject to interception. Maintain radio silence at all times."

. . .

They landed in Qurac, on Bialya's border. "All clear," said Naruto as Kurama felt the surrounding area for hostility. Superboy was lugging a heavy machine on his back as they walked out into the desert. M'gann turned invisible and flew off into the night.

A few minutes later, she returned and became visible. "The Bialyan control sight is just over those dunes," she whispered.

"Set up here," ordered Naruto. Superboy dropped the machine he carried and Robin immediately turned it on and began scanning the area.

"Jackpot!" he whispered, "The whole area's lousy with Zeta Beam radiation!"

Wally peered over his shoulder. "There are extra terrestrial elements in the tent."

Naruto nodded. "Ms. M, check it out in camouflage mode."

Superboy glanced over. "Be careful," he warned.

"And maintain telepathic contact," said Kaldur.

"I will, Aqualad."

. . .

As one, their eyes snapped open and the black world of M'gann's mind faded from around them. "Aqualad!" they exclaimed as one.

"Where is he?" urged Robin, "What happened next?"

"I don't know!" M'gann whispered fearfully, "That's all I-we remember!"

Naruto entered his mindscape and sighed in both relief and frustration when he saw that Kurama was still frozen. He left the recesses of his mind and turned to Robin. "Can you find him on GPS?"

"Now that I know to look for him," said Robin, opening up his wrist computer, "He's close! But he's not moving!"

"Lead the way!" Robin ran forwards into the desert and the others followed. Kaldur was only two dunes over, lying on the ground and mumbling in Atlantean.

Robin slid next to him. "He's drying out!" he hissed as he felt Kaldur's arm.

M'gann rested his head on her lap. "I can't restore his memories in this condition! He needs immediate rehydration!"

"Call the Bioship! Which I just remembered we had!" said Artemis.

M'gann shook her head. "It's out of range! Wally, can you get him there?"

"He's too heavy," grimaced Wally, "And I'm low on fuel."

Naruto nodded. "Right. Wally, take off your uniform."

If there were crickets around, their chirping would have been the only thing heard for several seconds. Even Kaldur's rambling seemed to diminish in those few seconds. Finally, Wally cleared his throat. "Ah, come again?"

Naruto glared at him. "Did I stutter?"

"Um, no?"

"Then what are you waiting for?"

"A valid reason as to why I should strip down to my undies in the middle of the desert surrounded by my team?"

Naruto rubbed his forehead. "Take off your uniform and run in place. When you start to sweat, try and drip it over Kaldur. It won't be pretty, but it'll keep him alive."

Artemis rubbed her chin. "As revolting as the image of Wally in his underwear is, that's actually a pretty good idea."

"Hey!" the speedster protested.

"Dude, that would actually work," said Robin thoughtfully, "The salt in your sweat would be close enough to the salt water his body's used to that it might actually revive him."

"But…but!" Wally protested. Eventually, he slouched his shoulders. "Do I have too?"

Naruto spun and grabbed him by the shoulders, looking directly into his eyes. "Wally, your teammate is dying. If it is in your power to save his life, then there is no excuse as to why you shouldn't do it."

"Right," gulped Wally, "Got it."

"If it's any consolation," said Naruto as he released Wally, "M'gann and I won't be around to see it."

M'gann blinked. "Why?"

Naruto cracked his knuckles. "We're going after Superboy. You're the only one who can restore his memories, and I'm the only one who can bring him down long enough for you to enter his mind."

"I don't know," said M'gann as she stood, "Six months ago, he didn't exist. He has no real memories for me to restore, I don't know if I can."

"We have to try," said Naruto grimly, "Come on." He ran back towards the machine with M'gann floating behind me.

"Naruto," she whispered when the others were out of earshot, "Are you mad at me?" Naruto stopped and glanced back. "I didn't read your mind, I swear," she said quickly, "But anger is coming off of you in, like, waves almost."

Naruto turned away from M'gann. "In my world, those who break the rules are considered trash," he said softly, "But those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash."

M'gann stared at his back and felt ashamed. "I-I'm sorry," she whispered.

Naruto breathed deeply and turned back to her. He walked to her and embraced her tightly. She gasped in surprise at the sudden move, but found the comfort of his arms far too inviting and warm to leave too soon. "I won't allow my comrades to die," Naruto whispered in her ear, "I'll protect you, Superboy, and everyone else, with my life."

He pulled back and held M'gann at arm's length. "I…I think I can feel him," she said, "This way." She flew forwards and Naruto followed. A few dunes later, they came across a large tent surrounded by soldiers. "He's in pain," she whispered. Immediately, there was a wretched cry of pain from within the tent and a burst of light that cast a shadow over the desert.

"No time for sneaking around then," Naruto grunted, "I'll make a distraction. Get in there and free him." He concentrated for a few seconds and orange pigmentation appeared around his eyes as he balanced the natural energy around him with the chakra in his body. He made two shadow clones and they began forming a Rasenshuriken in his hand. M'gann shot down in camouflage mode and dipped into a fold in the tent as Naruto jumped off the dune.

"Wind Style!" he shouted, getting the attention of the soldiers below, "Rasenshuriken!" It was a very low-powered attack, so when it hit the sand it only formed a small hurricane. Several soldiers were flung back as reinforcements ran out from the tent. Naruto bit his thumb as he landed and flipped through well-practiced hand seals. "Summoning Jutsu!" he intoned as he slapped his hand against the sand, invoking the summoning contract. With a puff of smoke and a roar, Shukaku bounced into existence, his one tail swinging like a pendulum over his head.

"Well now," he said sleepily, "This looks like fun. Lots of ammo for me to play around with."

Naruto grinned. "I thought you might like it. Go crazy, man. I got business to attend to." The soldiers opened fire at the strange sand beast before them, but their bullets shattered against a wall of densely packed sand that rose up faster than their guns could fire. Shukaku growled and lunged at the soldiers as Naruto ran to the tent.

As he yanked back the flaps, the first thing he saw was what looked like a caged ball that was rolling on its own. Scientific equipment lined the tent walls while a man with what appeared to be an exposed skull stared at nothing in particular with a cruel smile across his face. Superboy was standing still and shirtless in the middle of the room, his hand outstretched and touching something.

"Uh, Superboy?" said Naruto walking forwards, "You okay?" he lay a hand on Superboy's shoulder and gasped as his mind was yanked out of his body once again. He was in a negative world now, floating in empty space. Nearby, astral projections of Superboy and M'gann were fighting an image of the skull man in vain.

"Naruto!" shouted M'gann, "He's the one who wiped our memories!"

Naruto glared at the figure, who blocked an attack from Superboy with a flick of his finger. "You don't say," he grumbled. Deep within his psyche, there was a quacking sensation and a deep roar. A slow smile crept across his face. "Ms. M! Can you draw him into my mind?"

M'gann winced as she shielded herself from a mental bolt from the skull man. "Um, I think so!"

"Do it!" M'gann spun and grabbed Superboy as she dodged another attack. She harnessed his mental energy and combined it with what was left of her own, making one last ditch attack. It hit the man squarely in his shoulder and made him tumble backwards. With a grunt of effort, M'gann opened a black portal under his feet and he stumbled through. There was a flash and Naruto was looking down the sewer of his mindscape. M'gann and Superboy fell into the water on either side of him, exhausted.

"Well," the skull man said, stepping out of the shadows of the sewer, "That was rather pointless. She used the last of her psychic power to send me into your mind. She must have immense faith that you will have the power to break Psimon."

Naruto chuckled to himself. "Only a supervillain refers to himself in the third person."

"It is a bad habit, I'll admit," said Psimon with a shrug, "But rest assured, you'll be too brain dead to hear another third-person reference again."

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch," said Naruto, "Right now, I could send you through a three-day torture fest, burn your mind to ashes, or even teleport to inside your head. That would be a sight to see. But I think I have a better idea than all of those."

Psimon laughed heartily. "You seem to think I don't know a bluff when I see one."

Naruto shrugged. "Alright, I'll give you that I'm not sure if any of those powers would work on a mental plane, but that fact of the matter is, you're in my head, and I've already won."

Psimon raised an eyebrow. "And how do you figure that, I wonder?"

"The last time you were in my mind," said Naruto, "You left a psychic imprint that matched the frequency of your brain waves. When you wiped my memory, it reflected exponentially on a friend of mine, but when he came into contact with your mental frequency…Well, let's just say he's not happy." The sewer quaked and fell away. Naruto grabbed M'gann and Superboy while Psimon floated in space.

"Am I supposed to be impressed?" he asked, checking his nails, "You can melt away the physical structures of your psyche. Good for you."

Naruto sighed. "I'm getting real tired of this guy."

There was a grunt that made the entire mindscape shake. "**What took you so long?**" Psimon froze as he felt hot air on the back of his neck. He slowly turned and gasped at the hundred-story tall giant fox that sat on its haunches behind him. "**Hey there,**" boomed Kurama, his red eyes blazing with inner fury, "**You know, I have bad memories of mind control from when I was younger. So when someone messes with my head these days,**" he leaned down close so he massive maw was directly in front of Psimon, "**I get really, really, upset**." He opened his jaws and lunged forward with a roar. Psimon just avoided being eaten and flew towards Kurama's neck, shooting psychic beams. Kurama laughed, making every bone in Naruto's body shake.

"Hey furball, mind wrapping this up?"

Kurama groaned as he grabbed Psimon's projection in his paw. "**You give me no joy.**"

"It's basic manners, Kurama," said Naruto, "We don't play with out food."

"**Fine**," said Kurama, "**But you owe me.**" Kurama opened his mouth and his tongue wrapped around Psimon's shrieking form.

"Hey Psimon!" called Naruto as the psychic was retracted into Kurama's mouth, "Word of advice! Don't mess with what you don't understand!" Kurama's giant jaws slammed shut and Psimon's cries became overwhelming. The mindscape shattered and Naruto found himself in the center of a tornado of dust and sand, M'gann and Superboy leaning on his shoulders. The real Psimon was standing across from them, griping his head in pain as he was flung away by the high force winds. Naruto latched his chakra firmly into the ground as the storm settled down.

Naruto fell to the ground in exhaustion, his friends by his side. The ball that had been caged before was rolling free and spun right up to Superboy. It beeped incessantly until he woke up. "Oh, ball," said the clone sleepily, "Can I keep it?"

"Sure, buddy," Naruto panted. There was a grunt and Shukaku poked his head up from the sand.

"Wowie!" he crowed as he climbed out of the desert, "You see that sand tornado? How cool was that?!"

"Good work, Shukaku," said Naruto, draping an arm over his face, "The soldiers?"

"I tied 'em up with sand rope. Strong as steel cables. They're over that dune there."

"Great. You're dismissed."

"Wait'll Chomei hears about this!" bragged Shukaku as he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

M'gann rolled over and cuddled into Naruto's side. "You guys wanna get out of here? We should probably head back to the Cave."

Naruto breathed in deep, letting the cool night air blow through his nostrils. "Nah."

. . .

Several hours later, Naruto was lying on his bed, rubbing his left eye. His new eye patch was made of an uncomfortable fabric, but it was all he had on standby. Robin had questioned why he needed it now that they new his secret and the source of some of his powers. Besides, Naruto knew full well that Robin would report the Sharingan to Batman. Naruto just said the patch made him look cool, but that was a lie. The patch served as a reminder, a symbol of how there were no simple solutions or easy ways out. It was a sign that no matter how powerful he was, he had to be responsible with his powers and use them sparingly.

Aqualad had been taken to the med bay immediately upon returning to the Cave, he was expected to make a full recovery, but was very disappointed that he'd missed the sight of Wally running in place in Flash briefs.

In the meantime, M'gann had promised to sow him a new jacket. He had insisted that he didn't need one, but she insisted right back that she needed to repay him for burning his old one.

He sighed and stood up. Taking the Hokage Scroll, he opened it until he found what he was looking for.

"**You sure you're ready for that one, kit? It's a toughie.**"

_If this last mission has proven anything, it's that I can't rely on you to protect me from mental attacks all the time. I need to have some kind of defense myself_

"**The Mind Transfer Jutsu it is then**."

. . .

Thanks for all the reviews! Keep 'em coming!


	11. Targets

Same disclaimers and italics as before.

Chapter 11: Targets

"No."

"Naruto, you promised!"

"Not a chance."

"Don't make me levitate you out of bed!"

"Not happening."

M'gann stomped her foot in Naruto's doorway and put her hands on her hips. "Naruto Uzumaki!" she snarled, "Get your butt out of bed and get ready for school this instant, or I swear I will get Robin to shove a batarang up your-"

"Fine!" groaned Naruto as he rolled out of bed, "Stupid school." M'gann smirked and raised her nose to the sky as she marched out of his room. With muttered rambles and many swear-filled phrases concerning education, Naruto slipped out of his nightwear and changed into his jeans and mesh undershirt. He ran his hand over the Hokage Scroll, but left it on the shelf. Likewise, his fingers played over his kunai, but Batman had been quite clear about Happy Harbor High's no weapons policy.

As he left his room with a yawn, M'gann suddenly made herself visible in front of him. "Ta-da!" she cried, holding out an orange jacket. It was similar to his old one, but it was baggier. The swirling red symbol of Uzushiogakure was on the lapel instead of the back, and the dark blue sleeves were streaked with white flames. "Do you like it?" M'gann asked nervously as Naruto took it from her, "It was my first time with a sowing machine, but it kind of exploded so I ended up just sowing it with my telekinesis."

"It's great," Naruto assured her as he slipped it on, "Thanks, M'gann."

"Greetings, Shinobi," Naruto looked around M'gann to see Martian Manhunter, Kaldur, and Red Tornado walking forwards.

"J'onn," Naruto nodded, "To what do we owe the honor?"

"The first day of school carries great cultural significance," said the Martian in his deep voice, "I merely wanted to wish my niece and her friends good luck." He put his hand affectionately on M'gann's shoulder as Kaldur stepped forwards.

"Naruto, we must speak," he said softly.

Naruto nodded. "Superboy is in the hangar. You guys go ahead and meet up with him. I'll join you shortly." They nodded and walked off as Naruto turned to Kaldur. "What's up?"

"Last night, Red Arrow called the Cave for assistance," said Kladur, "He wanted information on the League of Shadows assassin Cheshire. His communicator indicated he was in Taipei."

Naruto frowned. "Taipei? Wasn't that in the news recently?"

"Yes. It's where North and South Rhelasia are holding a summit. Last night, Cheshire attempted an assassination attempt on an arbitrator. Red Arrow intervened."

Naruto rubbed his chin. "If they called in an arbitrator, then the summit must not be going well."

"It hasn't," said Aqualad grimly, "To make things more interesting, the arbitrator is Lex Luthor."

Naruto scowled. "The business man? What stake does he have in all this?"

"No idea, but whenever he gets involved, it usually doesn't end well."

"So, did Red Arrow ask for help?"

Aqualad frowned. "No, he referred to us as a 'junior Justice League' and said we, ah, weren't in his league."

Naruto snorted. "His loss, then. A pity too, I would've loved an excuse to be absent from my first day." He cracked his neck and groaned. "Can this wait? I'm more asleep than awake right now."

"Certainly. Enjoy your day at school." It was always difficult to tell if Kaldur was being sarcastic or if he was being genuine when he made jokes, but the corners of his mouth curved up in such a way that nobody could mistake his jest.

Naruto grunted. "Just keep an ear out for communications. I have feeling this Taipei business isn't over. The League of Shadows is not one to give up so easily." He began to walk down the hall towards the hangar and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Good work, Kaldur," he called behind him, "Keep it up."

Naruto entered the hangar and grimaced at the sunlight that burst through the ramp that led outside. "Everything okay, Naruto?" asked M'gann. Naruto glanced at her and had to do a double take. She was in a scarlet skirt and wore a matching cardigan over a white blouse. Her skin, usually a lime green, was now pale and Caucasian with the familiar splash of freckles over her nose.

"Fine, fine," said Naruto as he shook his head, "You look…good, M'gann."

"Ah-ah," she waggled her finger at him, "It's Megan Morse now, have to fit in with the other kids, right?"

"Right," Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Forgot."

"Are you still going to be Naruto Uzumaki?"

Naruto sighed. "Well, unfortunately the League of Shadows knows my name thanks to Hanabi and Hiruzen, but luckily, I have another name hanging in the closet." He did a twirl with his new jacket zipped up halfway, "Introducing!" he said with a mock bow, "Naruto Namikaze! Exchange student from the lands of the far east!"

M'gann clapped happily as Superboy peeked up from behind his bike. His hands were covered in engine grease and his shirt was inside out to hide the 'S' emblem. "Namikaze, huh? That's…unimpressive."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? And what did you pick as your earth name?"

Superboy shrugged. "Connor Kent. Martian Manhunter and M'gann talked me into it." M'gann cleared her throat and Connor rolled his eyes. "Sorry, Megan talked me into it."

"So," said Naruto, "How are we getting there? I don't think we'll all fit on Superboy's, er, Connor's bike. And I doubt students are used to seeing a Martian Bioship drop people off."

Connor smirked and walked around his bike, tossing aside his wrench. The ball that they'd rescued in the Bialyan desert spun in a circle around them excitedly. "Sphere here helped me find a good deal on this baby," said Connor as he ripped a blue tarp off of an old, beaten up muscle car, "He rolled over a newspaper that was lying around and the classifieds landed in my lap."

"Wow," said Naruto, desperately holding in his laughter as he ran his hand over the rust covered hood, "She's a beauty."

Conner sneered and hopped into the driver's seat. "She doesn't look like much, but keep your hands right there," with a flash and a grin, Connor flipped the key in the ignition and turned it. Naruto hopped back as the engine roared and the hood vibrated like a cell phone. Connor revved the engine and motioned for the other two to join him.

M'gann and Naruto looked at each other, a slow grin forming across both their faces. "Shotgun!" M'gann cried as she flew to the other side of the car and slid in. Naruto sighed and ducked into the backseat, feeling the old leather before strapping in. "Here!" said M'gann, leaning back towards him. She handed him an orange backpack and a brown paper bag with his name on it. "I made us all lunches!"

"Thanks," he said as he took the bag. Connor put the car into drive and sped out of the Cave's hangar. Once he was on the mountain path that led towards Happy Harbor, he and M'gann shared a look.

"So, Naruto," said M'gann carefully, "We actually wanted to talk to you alone."

Naruto leaned back in his seat and adjusted his eye patch. "First Kaldur, now you guys. Everyone wants a piece of Naruto. What's up?"

"Well," M'gann said hesitantly, "It's about Bialya. When you beat Psimon…" She glanced at Connor, struggling to find the right words.

Connor sighed and opted for a blunter approach. "What exactly did we see in your head?" he demanded, "It was like there was someone else in there, and they were freaking huge."

Naruto's heart skipped a beat. He had been hoping to avoid this at all costs. Moreover, he had been hoping they were so tired when they had seen Kurama, that they would chalk it up to hallucinations based on their own exhaustion. Apparently, he was not so lucky. "**You're going to have to tell them about me eventually,**" yawned Kurama within his mind, "**They have a right to know.**"

_Secrecy is the name of the game, Kurama. I managed to convince them that the cubs were just animals from my old world._

"**Not exactly a lie.**"

_But not exactly the truth. You and the other Bijuu are demons, and that carries a certain amount of stigma._

"**You're already their leader! They already trust you!**"

_And the last thing I want to do is lose that trust._

Naruto cleared his throat. "I, ah, was, um, trained to battle mental attacks back in my world. I can, uh, form a…psychic avatar and that's what you saw. No big deal." He folded his arms behind his head and closed his eye.

Connor scowled. "You're lying."

Naruto cracked open his eye. "How would you know?"

Connor tapped his ear. "Super hearing, remember? People's heartbeats speed up when they lie."

Naruto gulped lightly. _Any ideas, Kurama?_

"**Try the truth.**"

_Any ideas that you know I won't immediately shoot down, Kurama?_

"**Look, he'll know if you're lying. Your options are limited to say the least.**"

Naruto sucked in breath and decided to use a risky ploy. "Look, I'm sure you both have secrets you'd want to keep from me, right? We're all entitled to have things we keep to ourselves."

Connor narrowed his eyes and M'gann chewed on her thumb. "It's not that we don't trust you, Naruto," she reassured him, "It's just…we want to make sure you're okay."

Naruto blinked. "I'm fine."

"You're in control?"

"Of course. Who else would control me?"

"We don't know," grunted Connor as he turned onto a paved street and they entered Happy Harbor, "Who else _would_ be in control of you?"

"Nobody!" insisted Naruto, "Look, I don't know what you think you saw in my mind, but I'm perfectly fine and in control. Now, can we please talk about something else?"

For a few minutes, they drove in awkward silence. When they stopped at a light a few blocks from the school, M'gann turned back. "So, do you have a story for your eye patch?"

Naruto scratched at the harsh cloth. "No, but this fabric is killing me."

"On the plus side," smirked Connor, "Chicks love battle scars. An eye patch will attract girls like a shoe sale." M'gann rolled her eyes and slapped Connor on the arm as the two boys laughed.

As their laughter died off, Connor pulled into a parking space of the high school. Naruto looked out the windshield and groaned at the sight of the tall, beige building.

"Remember when we protected Dr. Roquette here?" asked M'gann as she gazed up at the school.

"That was only a month ago," said Connor as he turned off the engine, "Hey Naruto, didn't the doctor leave you her number?"

Naruto shrugged as they got out of the car. "Yeah, but I never called her. She was a little too old for me."

Connor's face took on a serious glare. "Age shouldn't matter when it comes to romance."

Naruto laughed as he slung his backpack over his shoulder. "You're only saying that because you're barely three months old and Hanabi's in her twenties."

Connor looked like he was ready to punch Naruto, but luckily a boy on a skateboard slammed into him. Connor acted instinctively and grabbed the scrawny boy by the collar. He lifted him up so his eyes were level with the boy's shirt; a white t-shirt with an 'M' emblem scrawled across it. "What's this?" he asked harshly as he poked the boy in the chest.

"I-it's just a shirt!" squealed the boy in fear.

"What's going on here?" Naruto turned to see a tall black kid in a Superman shirt with his arms around a girl in a yellow and black cheerleading uniform. "Put my man Marvin down."

Naruto sighed and rubbed his forehead. "It's only our first day," he muttered, "Put the kid down, Connor." Connor blinked, but put Marvin down.

"Hi," said M'gann nervously, "We're new here. I'm Megan Morse, this is Connor Kent, and this is Naruto Namikaze."

"Triple alliteration," squawked Marvin, "I like it." The bell rang inside the building and the kids hurried inside. Naruto turned to lead M'gann, but she was already talking to some cheerleaders and seemed to be doing well already. Connor, on the other hand, marched dutifully and angrily into the building.

"I know what you're thinking," Naruto whispered as he sided up with him, "You're wondering how they dare wear the symbols of heroes. You need to understand that the Justice League is more than just a team of heroes. They're a symbol of hope for the entire world. By wearing their emblems, they're announcing their support for their heroes."

Connor growled as they marched into their new homeroom, M'gann running behind them to catch up. "I was born to be a hero," he muttered, "I wear the shield because I am worthy of it. What have these people done to deserve their symbols?"

"They don't need to earn their rights," said Naruto simply as he sat down next to Connor, "In my world, shinobi were only allowed to wear the headbands of their village when they had reached the rank of Genin."

Connor raised an eyebrow. "So?"

"So things are different here. People can wear and do what they want so long as it's within the confines of the law. Even the Justice League operates on a United Nations charter. By wearing the symbols of their heroes, these people are flaunting their right to support whoever they want. Just be thankful they're wearing the marks of heroes, not villains."

Connor grumbled in dissatisfaction as their teacher entered the room. "Good morning, Mr. Carr," the entire room recited.

"Morning, gang," said Mr. Carr as he wheeled in a television, "Today, I thought we could start off by introducing our new students." He motioned to M'gann, Connor, and Naruto as he began to plug in the TV.

M'gann stood up nervously. "Well, I'm Megan Morse. I just moved here from Illinois to live with my Uncle." There were appreciative nods and a few claps and she sat down in relief. She nudged Connor in the ribs and he stood up with a grimace.

"Um, Connor Kent. I'm from, uh, Kansas." He quickly sat down and glanced at Naruto, who stood up with a yawn.

"Naruto Namikaze." He sat down with a thump in his seat.

Mr. Carr stood up from the now plugged in television. "And where are you from, Naruto?"

Naruto stood up lazily. "Seattle." He sat back down.

Mr. Carr raised an eyebrow, but shrugged and sat at his desk. "As you probably know, today is the final peace summit between North and South Rhelasia. As you probably don't know, last night an assassination was attempted on Lex Luthor, who is in Taipei right now serving as an arbitrator. So, we're going to start our current events lesson by watching some news feeds from the last twenty-four hours." He pressed a button on the television and it burst to life. Onscreen, the reporter Cat Grant was narrating through the assassination attempt. That provided some interest, but when it was over, the network brought out several political scientists who seemed to be talking in circles.

Naruto watched the clock and lay his head on his desk. Yup, school in this world was just as boring and mundane as the academy had been. As the seconds ticked by and the news reader's voice droned on in monotony, Naruto felt his eyes start to close. He tried to flicker them back open, but his mind had already drifted into slumber.

. . .

He was standing in the Kamui dimension. Madara Uchiha was crawling at his feet. "It's…too late…you fool," he panted as blood poured from his mouth, "I've…already opened…the second…portal." Naruto looked up and saw that it was true; a second vortex was spinning behind him.

"Now what?" he asked.

Kakashi slumped over in pain. "I got…nothing…left," he panted, "I think…this might be…it for me."

Sakura knelt down and began to heal him, the seal markings on her face and body fading as the last of her chakra began to deplete. "I'm down to my last reserves here," she moaned.

Sasuke rubbed his eye and glared at the vortex. "I know that look," said Naruto grimly, "You have an idea?"

Sasuke breathed deeply, Tsunade's slumping form leaning on his shoulder. "Sa…su…ke," she breathed, "Tell…him."

Sasuke grunted and his fingers circled his left eye. "Sakura, do you think you could do an eye transplant?"

. . .

Connor jabbed Naruto in the arm, waking him up. "Thanks," yawned Naruto, "Bad dream."

Connor grinned. "I bet. You were kind of screaming." Naruto looked around and realized the entire class was looking at him strangely.

Mr. Carr was leaning back in his swivel chair, his legs on his desk. "Mr. Namikaze," he said with a sigh, "I like to think of myself as something of a laid back teacher, but even I cannot accept sleeping in class. Do you know where the principle's office is?"

Naruto blinked. "Um, no?"

M'gann raised her hand. "I know where it is Mr. Carr. I'll take him there."

Mr. Carr waved them off and M'gann and Naruto got out of their seats.

"What happened?" asked Naruto as M'gann closed the door behind them, "I just fell asleep in class. I used to fall asleep in class all the time and all that happened was I missed a few lessons."

"Naruto Namikaze!" M'gann hissed as she slapped Naruto upside the head, "You just fell asleep on your first day of school! Way to make a good impression!"

Naruto shrugged. "You woke me up too early."

"Oh, so it's my fault you're in trouble?"

"I didn't say that."

"Ugh!" M'gann threw up her hands in frustration, "Sometimes I swear you're so…argh! Just follow me." She turned and began to stomp down the hallway. Naruto tucked his hands behind his head and followed her. "So," she said angrily, "Who's Sakura?"

Naruto stared at her. "How do you know about Sakura?"

"You were yelling in your sleep."

Naruto sighed. "She was a comrade, a teammate."

"And Kakashi?"

"My old sensei."

"Alright," sighed M'gann, stopping before a door, "This is the principle's office. Just go in, tell them you fell asleep in class, accept your punishment, and come back to class. Okay?"

Naruto grunted. "Fine." M'gann opened the door for him and glared at him as he passed. Inside the office was a secretary at a desk and a second door.

"Hello, young man," said the secretary, "I'm assuming you're Mr. Namikaze?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"Mr. Carr called ahead," said the secretary as she pushed up her glasses on her face, "You're lucky, Principle Gilligan is in a good mood."

Naruto sighed with a small smile. "Well, that's going to change," he muttered as he walked into the principle's office. The principle was a fat and squat man with a very obvious toupee.

"Ah, Mr. Namikaze," he grunted, "Nice to meet you. Detention for the next week. Go back to class."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Well, efficient aren't you?"

"Is that sass, young man?"

"What?"

"Two weeks detention. Get back to class before I make it a month."

Naruto slowly backed out of the office and into the secretary's office. "That's him on a good day?"

"Mmm," hummed the secretary, "You should see him when he hasn't had three cups of coffee. He'd have expelled you right then."

Naruto sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I really hate beurocracy. Almost makes me happy that I never became an official Hokage," he muttered.

The secretary held out a slip of paper to him. "A woman left this for you. Your mother?"

Naruto took the paper and unfolded it, reading the message quickly. "Yes," he murmured as his eyes widened, "My mother. Did she stick around?"

"No, she left. And so should you, the bell's about to ring." Naruto nodded and pocketed the note as he left the room. He walked back to the class and sat back in his seat amongst his classmate's snickers. Almost immediately, the bell rang and the class got up to move. As they walked through the halls towards the gym, Naruto hung back and flipped open the note once more, reading it over and over again.

_Naruto-_

_They have a mole on your team._

_Hanabi_

Naruto ripped the note to shreds and tossed them in a nearby trashcan. He caught up with his classmates and changed into his gym clothes in silence. It was impossible. He had fought with his team, trained with them. There was no way that any one of them would be an informant for the League of Shadows. Besides, Kurama would have detected any hostility on his team towards its own members.

But would Hanabi lie? She had promised to be an inside source for Naruto when they had met before, but when she had found out about the Bijuu cubs and began to suspect about his Sharingan, she had seemed genuinely angry and afraid. Would she be angry enough to lie to him? And if she was, why would she lie about a traitor on his team? Was she trying to cause dissent amongst the group?

He shook his head and dodged a ball lazily. While he had been thinking, the class was playing dodgeball. Another ball whizzed by him and he caught it deftly. He spun and loosed the ball like a cannon on another student. The force of the hit sent the boy flying towards the back wall with a grunt.

"_Naruto!_" he blinked. M'gann was glaring at him from the sidelines. "_No powers! No acrobatics!_" Naruto rolled his eyes and stepped in front of a ball, getting hit. He walked off the court and leaned against the wall as his classmates finished their game. He frowned as he watched Connor get hit several times in a row by the black kid who had confronted them earlier.

The next class and the class after that passed with Naruto not listening to a single word the teachers said. His mind was solely focused on Hanabi's message. At lunch, Connor sat with some new friends on the football team and M'gann was chatting with some cheerleaders. Naruto sat in the corner, his mind racing as he ate ramen out of a thermos.

The rest of the day passed in a similar manner until the final bell. Detention, as it turned out, was just waiting in the principle's secretary's office for thirty minutes after the last bell. Naruto practically slept through it. When it was finally over, he walked to Connor's car, but there was nobody there. Looking around, he spotted Connor in the bleachers of the nearby football stadium.

He Hiraishined behind him and sat down. "Hey."

Connor jumped in his seat and glared at him. "You're not supposed to use your powers."

Naruto ran a hand through his hair. "Whatever. What are we doing here?" Connor motioned to the field. Lines of teenage girls were patiently waiting their turn to audition to other teenage girls in cheerleader outfits. Naruto scanned the crowd and found M'gann shaking anxiously at the back of one of the lines. "She's really going through with that, huh?"

"Yup," Connor yawned, "I'd be careful around her, she's really upset with you."

"Why?"

"No idea. If I had to guess, it's because you got in trouble."

Naruto glanced at the clone incredulously. "Why would she care about that?"

"She has a very idealized vision of earth culture," Connor shrugged, "I guess she wants things to work out perfectly."

Naruto grunted and leaned back in the bleachers. "Things never work out perfectly, even for non-superheroes."

"I know that, but she can dream, can't she?"

"I guess," sighed Naruto, "By the way, what was up with gym class? You let that Duncan kid walk all over you."

Connor sighed and leaned back next to him. "I don't know. I've had a lot on my mind lately."

Naruto looked over at him. "By a lot of things do you mean a certain pale-eyed ninja?"

Connor glared at him. "If I could use heat vision…"

"You'd still have a lot on your mind and my ghost on your conscious to top it all off. Talk, man."

Connor groaned and gazed up at the clouds. "I can't stop thinking about her," he said softly, "Ever sine we fought on Infinity Island…I remember every move she used on me, every kick, every punch. I mean, it's stupid right? I barely know her. I've only met her once! But I can't get her out of my head!"

Naruto closed his eyes and breathed deeply. "You know, in my world, we have an expression that two great warriors can exchange just one blow and immediately know everything about their opponent."

"Are you saying that's what happened to me?"

"No, I'm just playing devil's advocate."

With a grin, Connor turned to Naruto. "In that case, it's my turn. What's up with you and M'gann?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yeah right. I see the way you two look at each other."

"She is a friend and a teammate."

"Yeah, but is that all you want her to be?"

Naruto opened his eye and turned to glare at Connor. "The last time I got involved with women, it ended up with Hiruzen chasing me across entire dimensions. Would I like to be closer with M'gann? Absolutely. But I think I need a break from romance for a while."

"It's been over a year since you came to this world, right?" Connor pointed out, "Don't you think that's a long enough break?"

Naruto gazed down at the field. M'gann was doing her audition for the cheerleaders. Her slender legs flipped back and forth as she swung her pom-poms. "Maybe," he whispered as she completed her routine. As he watched, M'gann was approached by a few of the cheerleaders. Behind her, more cheerleaders snuck up with a bucket of water.

"This doesn't look good," said Connor, leaning forward and gripping the bleachers. Naruto slowly reached for his eyepatch.

"**They mean no harm, kit.**"

"Relax," Naruto grunted, lowering his arm. The cheerleaders dunked the water over M'gann and they cheered. After a little talk, M'gann squealed and hugged the nearest girl. "Looks like things went well."

"Good," yawned Connor, "Can we go now?" They stood and walked down the bleachers to the field. "Can I offer some advice?"

Naruto rolled his eye. "What is it?" Connor reached down as they arrived on the field. He grabbed a bag and shoved it into Naruto's arms. M'gann began walking towards them, a towel around her shoulders.

"Whew!" she breathed, "I did it!"

"Good work," Connor congratulated her with a pat on the back.

M'gann looked around him and saw Naruto. Her eyes widened as she saw what he was carrying. "You're…carrying my stuff?"

Naruto glanced at Connor who winked at him with a smirk. "What?" he said, slinging the bag over his shoulder, "You want it to get wet?" M'gann smiled as they headed back to Connor's car.

"You really should clean this thing up," grunted Naruto as he clambered into the backseat again, "Do you even have a license?"

"Cadmus implanted the knowledge of how to drive in my mind," Connor muttered as he drove out of the parking lot, "They must have thought it would come in handy."

They drove back to the Cave in silence. As they entered the hangar, Kaldur ran out from the halls. "Naruto," he panted as his captain stepped out of the car, "We have to talk."

"Again?" Naruto handed M'gann's bag back to her, "Kaldur, people will start to talk."

"This is no time for your jests, Naruto," Kaldur glanced at Connor and M'gann and led Naruto away. "You suspicions were correct," he murmured softly as they entered a side hallway, "Red Arrow called around noon to ask for assistance. I Zeta Tubed to Taipei and assisted him in preventing another assassination attempt."

"Good," Naruto nodded, "Then the summit was successful?"

"Yes," Kaldur grimaced, "But that is not what bothers me. During the attempt, I faced off with the assassin Sportsmaster. During our fight, he revealed that he may or may not have a mole inside the team."

Naruto's heart skipped a beat, but he fought to keep a straight face. "He's lying," he said quickly, "You know as well as I do that nobody on this team would betray us."

"Yes," said Kaldur hesitantly, "But he knew details about our missions in Santa Prisca and Bialya. How could he have know about them if he didn't have an inside source?"

Naruto gulped slightly. _Kurama, you don't think…_

The giant fox growled low and soft. "**If anyone on this team was a traitor, I would have felt it long ago, kit. There is no mole**."

"Kaldur," Naruto said gently, "There are a dozen ways Sportsmaster could have found out about those missions. He said those things to throw you off your game and cause dissent amongst the group. I think we should keep this to ourselves and completely forget about it."

Kaldur slowly nodded. "Very well, Naruto."

Naruto clapped Kaldur on the back and walked back to his room. With a sigh, he tossed his bag into the corner and collapsed on his bed.

"**Long day, huh kit?**"

_Mmm, it's good to know that school is as boring in this world as it was in ours_. Kurama chuckled as he rested his head in his arms and Naruto dropped his head to the pillow.

. . .

Hours later, twin wet hands slapped against Naruto's cheeks. "Wakey wakey!" Naruto groaned as he sat bolt upright in bed. He glanced at his glowing clock and slapped his forehead at the blinking twelve that shone on it.

"Who's there?" he muttered into the darkness.

The light of his clock shone against slick and slimy skin. "It be I! Saiken!"

Naruto rubbed his eyes. "Saiken?" Suddenly, he scrambled and fell out of his bed. "Saiken!" he hissed as he stood up, "What are you doing here?!"

The dog-sized slug flailed his stubby little arms. "I be bringin' news!"

Naruto knelt down to the Bijuu. "What did you find out, Saiken?"

"Well, they be experimentin' on us!" said the perky slug, "Tryn' to figure us out! I be hearin' one of the sciency guys talkin' 'bout a spy they be havin' on your team!"

Naruto stared and rubbed his head at Saiken. "You're kidding me, right?"

"No jokey!"

Naruto fell back on his haunches and grumbled to himself. "Thanks Saiken," he sighed, "Are the others okay?"

"They be getting' nothing from us!" chirped Saiken.

"Okay, okay, good. Go back before they realize you're missing. Keep the others safe, okay?"

"Okie-dokie!" said Saiken as he flipped through hand seals, "Reverse-Summoning Jutsu!" He disappeared with a puff of smoke and Naruto stared at the space he once had been. For a few moments, he stood still. After hesitating, he leapt to his shelf and grabbed the Hokage Scroll and his jacket.

"**Going somewhere, kit?**" yawned Kurama.

_Hanabi might lie to me, Kaldur's source was faulty, _Naruto swung on his jacket as he left his room, _But there is no way that Saiken would say anything that wasn't true._

"**Or at least, anything he believed was true.**"

_Fair enough, but this is too much evidence being thrown at me at once. For better or worse,_ Naruto stepped out into the night air and breathed deeply as he unfurled the scroll, _I need to train. I need to get stronger._

"**Well then, what are you waiting for?**" Naruto grinned and made a shadow clone. The clone stepped a few feet in front of him and turned to face his original. Naruto brought his hands up in a circular hand seal.

"Mind Transfer Jutsu!"

. . .

Thanks for the reviews! Keep 'em coming!

By the way, I totally welcome flames. If you've been holding back from commenting because you don't like my story or writing, feel free. It lets me know what I'm doing wrong and where I can improve. Thanks again!


	12. Terrors

Same disclaimers and italics as before.

Chapter 12: Terrors

Naruto awoke to the chirping of birds and the sun blazing down on him. "**Ugh,**" groaned Kurama as Naruto pushed himself up, "**I hate the smell of grass in the morning.**"

_Don't worry. I've almost got it down._ Naruto stretched and walked to a tree. He'd been training with it, using its tough bark as a punching bag. By now, the bark was worn and discolored from the rhythmic strikes of his knuckles.

Naruto was about to restart his morning training sessions when someone tapped him on the shoulder. Faster than he could blink, Naruto ducked and spun, sweeping the legs of the person behind him out from under them. "Ow!" grunted M'gann as she hit the ground.

Naruto glared at her and helped her to her feet. "What do you want?"

"Sorry," apologized M'gann, brushing herself off, "I just wanted to check on you. You've been training out here for a week. Have you even been eating?"

Naruto turned back to the tree and began his daily assault on it. "I bought some protein shakes in town. I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" M'gann said nervously, crossing her hands in front of her, "I don't know if this level of training is…um, healthy."

"I'm fine, M'gann," Naruto grumbled, "I was brought up in a society of ninjas, remember? This is nothing."

"I'm not trying to tell you how to train," said M'gann, "I just think-"

Naruto snarled angrily and flipped backwards, his hands blurring in a series of hand seals. He landed with a crouch and brought his hands up. "Shadow Strangle Jutsu!" With a surge of chakra, his shadow burst forth and wrapped around the tree, squeezing so harshly and abruptly that the weakened trunk splintered and snapped. M'gann leapt back with a yelp as the tree tumbled to the ground. Naruto stood up and cracked his neck. "Now," he said, dangerously calm, "Were you saying something?"

"No," whispered M'gann, her green skin paling to a light lime.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Alright then," Naruto breathed in deeply and walked towards Mt. Justice.

"**A bit harsh on green girl, no?**" asked Kurama as Naruto entered the hangar.

_I know, I know, but I can't really trust anyone on this team right now, even if they're hot._

"**Being distrustful is different from being a jerk, kit.**" Naruto rolled his eye at his inner tenant and continued into the Cave's main hall where he saw an annoyingly familiar sight.

"Hey," he said as he approached the dark knight, "Do what do we owe the pleasure? Another mission?"

Batman didn't look away from the holographic screens in front of him. "Maybe." He pressed a few buttons and a news feed was brought up. Superman was grappling with a young man and woman in white uniforms. "They call themselves the Terror Twins."

Naruto snorted. "Sounds like a bad punk band. Doesn't look like Superman's having a problem with them, though."

"I told him to stall," Batman sifted through a few screens, "This may provide us with an opportunity. You can shape shift, correct?"

"My Transformation Technique?" Naruto blinked, "It's not so much shape shifting as it is a self-contained illusion, but yeah, basically. Why?"

Batman rubbed his chin. "I might have something for you." He put his hand to his cowed ear. "Aqualad and Ms. Martian report for mission briefing." His voice echoed out through the Cave's sound system. After a few seconds, Kladur and M'gann came in. M'gann gulped slightly when she saw Naruto and stepped behind Kaldur.

In Naruto's mind, Kurama bellowed a harsh laugh. "**Aw, you scared her!**"

_Shut up, furball__**.**_

Batman kept his hand on his ear. "Batman to Justice League. Initiate Operation: Iceman Cometh using the Terror Twins." He brought his hand away and flipped through the holograms until mug shots of four pale-skinned individuals popped up. "This past fourth of July," he said, "Four ice villains stage simultaneous attacks. Mr. Freeze, Icicle Jr., Killer Frost, and Captain Cold were all easily apprehended." His eyes narrowed as he glanced back at the mug shots. "Perhaps too easily. Cold and Frost were sent to Belle Reve Penitentiary, a federal prison designed to house super criminals."

"Belle Reve?" Naruto arched an eyebrow, "That's beautiful dream in French. Odd name for a prison."

"The 17 year-old Icicle Jr. was sent to a juvenile facility and Freeze went back to his usual cell at Arkham Asylum," continued Batman, "But Freeze petitioned the court to be declared legally sane and Junior sued to be tried as an adult. As a result, both await transport to Bell Reve, which seems to have been the goal all along." Batman turned and approached the three assembled members of the team. "Shinobi, Ms. Martian, I'm sending you in to find out why."

M'gann bit her thumb in anxiety and Kaldur stepped forwards. "Who inside the prison will know their true identities?"

"No one," said Batman, "We can't be certain the prison staff isn't compromised."

"How will we get in?" asked M'gann.

Batman flipped through the screens once more until he came across the news feed. Martian Manhunter had joined Superman in handling the Terror Twins. To the untrained eye, it would appear as if they were putting their all into the fight. However, Naruto smirked as he saw their obvious pulled punches and restraint on their true power.

"So we head down their, get arrested instead of the Twins and get sent to Belle Reve, right?" he folded his arms, "Fine by me. We'll need someone on the outside though, for emergency evacuation and an exit strategy."

"That's why I called Aqualad," Batman nodded, "Belle Reve prison is in the middle of Louisiana swamplands. He and Red Tornado will wait outside the prison in a camouflaged Bioship. In a best case scenario, they can get an audience with Warden Waller and organize your release. Worst case, they use the swamp to their advantage and retrieve you by force."

"Right," Naruto cracked his neck, "When do we start?"

Batman turned as the Zeta Tubes activated and Red Tornado stepped into the cave. The android gave Batman a nod and he turned back too them. "Now." Naruto flexed his fingers and ran into the Tube with M'gann close behind.

As the light of the tube faded, they found themselves in a large, dark warehouse. Looking around, Naruto saw multiple colorful floats with ornate designs. Hanging off a nearby float was a necklace of plastic beads. Naruto picked it up and smiled. "Mardi Gras," he chuckled to himself, "Of course."

M'gann looked at him. "What?"

"Oh, it's nothing," Naruto tossed the beads away, "On Mardi Gras there's a big parade and when girls show…" he stopped and glanced at M'gann with a sheepish smile, "Nothing forget I said anything."

She frowned. "I could just read your mind, you know."

"**Let her try it,**" barked Kurama, "**Nothing gets in or out of this head unless I say so.**"

_The what about Psimon, hmmm?_

"**That was a fluke.**"

"So," Naruto clapped his hands together, "What now?" At that moment, the roof burst open as two figures tumbled to the floor with twin grunts. The figures slowly collected themselves and stood up. One was a muscular young man with cropped blond hair, a wife-beater, and red suspenders keeping up black pants. The other looked more or less the same except it was a girl with a long, blond ponytail.

As they rose to their feet, a red figure shot out of the shadows faster than the naked eye could follow. There were two snapping noises and collars appeared around both of the Terror Twin's necks. "Hey!" cried the male in a thick, southern drawl.

There was a burst of wind and the Flash skidded to a halt besides Naruto and M'gann. "Guys, meet Tommy and Tuppence Terror."

The male, Tommy jumped forwards with a cry, but Naruto punched him almost lazily in the head and he fell like a sack of bricks. "That don't feel right," he groaned as he rubbed his head, "My strength…but I done just gone toe-to-toe with Superman."

"No," said Naruto, leaning down with a smirk, "But good try." He patted Tommy on the head as Tuppence began to back away slowly. M'gann grabbed the girl with her telekinesis and she lifted into the air with a scream. M'gann brought her closer and lay a hand on her shoulder, looking her up and down. "Got your inspiration?" asked Naruto. M'gann stepped back and morphed into a perfect copy of Tuppence. "I believe I do," she said with the same southern accent.

Tommy gapped at his twin sister's doppelganger. "Somebody tell me what's goin' on?" Naruto flipped up his eye patch and opened his Sharingan. He flicked the eye over Tommy's body, studying every cell, every crevice, every mole and imperfection in his skin, his hair, his clothes.

_I could try the Mind Transfer Jutsu on this guy. I could probably do it._

"**And walk into a prison of super criminals with an unfamiliar body with unfamiliar powers? Pass.**"

_Still, a long term Transformation is a chakra guzzler._

"**Kit, I'm a chakra-filled demon**. **Don't worry about running low over a Transformation. I'll keep us well supplied**."

_Alright then._ Naruto flipped his eye patch down and focused his chakra. "Transform!" he muttered as his body was enveloped by steam. When it cleared, he was a complete replica of Tommy. "Well, brother," he said in a perfect mimic of the villain's voice, "How do I look?"

Tommy stared at him in horror. "I must be losin' my mind."

"Close," Naruto stood up and turned to Flash, "What now?"

"The police are waiting outside. I'll give Superman the signal and he'll came in here and hand you over to the authorities who'll give you your own collars. We've arranged for you to be in the same prison transport bus as Mr. Freeze and Icicle Jr. Before you get inside and they see you, you'll have to morph into some prison clothes, okay?"

Naruto nodded and cracked Tommy's neck. "What about these here scumbags?" he asked as he motioned to the real twins.

"Batman will be here soon. He'll take care of them until you're done with your mission."

"Right," Naruto nodded, "So what's the signal?" Flash grinned and the blood drained from Naruto's face. Flash dove forwards and grabbed M'gann by the arm. She screamed as he swung her like a throwing hammer and tossed her straight through the walls of the warehouse. Immediately, Superman drifted down through one of the holes in the ceiling. "Whew," breathed Naruto, "Glad it wasn't me." A slow smile grew across Superman's face and Naruto groaned, knowing what was about to happen.

` . . .

A few hours later, Naruto and M'gann were sitting next to each other in a tight prison bus in matching orange jumpsuits. Across from them, a boy about their age was reclining on the bench. He had pure white hair and looked like his skin was made of glass. At one end of the bus was a large man in a puffed out suit with a glass dome over his bald head. He was surrounded by a portable cryo-chamber. Naruto assumed this was Icicle Jr. and Mr. Freeze. At the other end of the bus was a vigilant guard with a shotgun. All in all, a pleasant group of people.

The boy across from them seemed to be giving M'gann an interested look. Naruto looked away, but Junior tapped him on the knee. "Dude, dude!" he hissed. Naruto looked back at him, "Your sister is sweet!" Naruto blinked and M'gann rolled her eyes. "How about you put in a good word for me, huh?" pleaded Junior.

Before Naruto could ask if he really just said that, the guard rammed the but of his gun between them, driving Junior back into his seat. "Sit down," he ordered, "We're here."

Naruto looked out the thick window and nodded, impressed by the massive facility he saw. The bus slowly rolled inside the gates and passed through checkpoint after checkpoint. Finally, after what felt like hours from when they had first entered the facility, the bus stopped and the guard motioned for them all to stand. Naruto stood and followed the guard off the bus, banging his electronic shackles against his knee in attempt to get the blood flowing through his wrists again.

They were brought into a large hall with a closed roof that Naruto guessed must be the yard. "I am the law of last resort." Naruto looked towards the source of the voice. It came from a guard tower above them where a large black woman in a dress suit glared down at them. "My name is Amanda Waller," she said, her voice dripping with formality and contempt, "I am not you mother, maiden, aunt, or friend. I am your warden and you are my prisoners. Your collars are custom designed to inhibit your specific meta-abilities. No strength, no ice."

She held up a small black remote. "In addition, the collars can and will be used to discipline inmates. A con who breaks the rules gets one warning." A sudden electric shock ran through Naruto's body and he fell to his knees with a groan. He looked over and saw the other prisoners were in a similar predicament. After a moment, the electricity receded and Naruto stood up again.

"Well," he muttered as he shook his head to clear it, "That brought back unpleasant memories."

"If order has not been restored," continued Waller, "The next shock will render the offender unconscious. At the slightest hint of trouble, this facility will go into lockdown. Belle Reve's walls are thick enough to hold Superman. We know, we checked." She glared down at the new inmates and Naruto withed slightly under her piercing stare. "Nobody's ever escaped from Belle Reve," she said, "No one ever will." There was a slight clearing of a throat and a mousy little bespectacled man walked up besides Waller. "Oh," she said, her contempt turning to boredom, "This is Professor Hugo Strange. He _is_ your mother, maiden, aunt."

"Actually, I'm the prison psychiatrist," he said warmly, "And I promise you all a sincere attempt at rehabilitation."

"Because we know you people are all about sincerity," grumbled Waller, "Take them away!" A guard forced Naruto and Icicle Jr. forwards as the other two prisoners were split up. As they entered a cell block, other inmates loosed a barrage of catcalls on the two.

"Ignore them," whispered Icicle, "They're just trying to intimidate you."

"I ain't scared," Naruto reassured him, "'Sides, they can't do anythin' worse'n what Ma did to me when she caught me stealin' pies." They walked for a time in silence as they drew closer to their own cell. When they reached it, the door slid open and the guards shoved them in before it closed behind them.

For a moment, Naruto stared at the door. "I call top bunk!" said Icicle as he swung himself up over the metal bed they shared. Naruto grunted and settled himself into the bottom bed.

"_Naruto, can you hear me?_" M'gann's voice rang in his head.

"_M'gann? How'd you get in here?_"

"_The collar is designed to inhibit Tuppence Terror's super strength, not my telepathy._"

"_That's not what I…Nevermind. Mental link established. Commence intel gathering._"

For a few seconds, there was silence and Naruto took that to mean their brief conversation was over. He entered his mindscape to find Kurama curled up in a ball with a dreamy smile on his face. _What's wrong with you!? Why didn't you warn my M'gann was trying to make contact? What if it had been someone else? Someone hostile?_

Kurama purred in delight. "**So much hate and anger around here. It's almost…intoxicating. Reminds me of my teen years, you know?**"

_Keep it together, man!_ Naruto barked, _I need steady access to your chakra if I want to keep this Transformation up, so you need to be constantly infusing chakra, got it?_

Kurama groaned and sat up. "**You give me no joy,**" he grumbled as he began to infuse chakra into Naruto. Somewhere in the cell block, an alarm rang.

"Oh cool," Icicle slipped off the top bunk and landed on the floor, "We got here just in time."

"In time for what?" asked Naruto as he stood up. Their door slid open and he hesitantly followed Icicle Jr. out of the cell. The entire cell block seemed to be emptying as prisoners walked out of their cells.

"Yard hour, man," Icicle explained. He wrapped an arm around Naruto's shoulder and pulled him in close as they entered the same large hall they had been oriented in. "Stick with me, cellmate," he said with a devilish grin, "I'll show you the ropes."

Naruto frowned. "Who're you kiddin'?" he asked, "You ain't been at Belle Reve before. You're liable to get me hanged with them ropes."

"I may never have been incarcerated here," conceded Icicle, "But trust me, I know whereof I speak. For starters," he motioned to the far wall. A set of bleachers had been set up there and Mr. Freeze, Captain Cold, and another man who looked remarkably unremarkable were resting. Naruto gulped slightly when he saw they seemed to be guarded by the Blockbuster, Dr. Desmond from Cadmus, and the mammoth beast he and the team had encountered on Santa Prisca. "We pay homage to the top of the food chain, you know, the big dog, the prison capo," continued Icicle. He glared mournfully at the third man with the two ice villains. "Dad."

Naruto blinked, looking back and forth between the lounging grey-haired Caucasian man and the teen who looked like he had permafrost all over his skin. "That's yer pa?"

"Yup," said Junior glumly, "Icicle Sr.," he paused and glanced back at Naruto, "Sucks when your old man is _the _man, you know?"

Naruto hesitated. An image flashed in his mind of a massive face made of rock, overlooking his old home on the side of a mountain. "You have no idea," he muttered as he followed Icicle towards the bleachers.

Faster than either of them could believe, a figure in orange leapt on Icicle Jr. and threw him to the ground. "I told you what would happen if we crossed paths, Junior!" hissed the crouched figure.

Naruto grabbed the inmate by the scruff of his neck and lifted him up. "I don't like you," he said simply as he tossed the criminal to the floor. He landed at the feet of a giant of a man who's skin was red and looked like rock.

"Boy," growled the giant slowly, "That was not wise."

A slow smile formed on Naruto's face as the giant moved closer. "Oh, I think I like you." He cracked his knuckles and bent down into a fighting stance.

Kurama cleared his throat. "**May I remind you that it'll just take one solid punch to disrupt your chakra and break your transformation?**" Naruto paused before rubbing the bridge of his nose.

_I didn't think of that. Advice?_

Kurama paused and assessed the situation. "**I don't know, kit. This guy really hates you right now.**"

_Thank you captain obvious._ Naruto ducked as the first fist swung his way other criminals saw the commotion and quickly circled around them. Naruto dodged a second punch and grabbed the giant's arm. He swung up and kicked him in the jaw before flipping off his chest. The giant stumbled back into the crowd, who pushed him forwards as they began to chant. "Not wise at all," growled the giant.

"Is that all you know how to say?" The red man roared and charged. Naruto boxed his ears and slipped between his legs as he went past. "What's your name, big fella? I like to know who I'm beating up."

"Name's Brick!" snarled the man, "And you're roadkill!"

"Enough." The voice was soft, but it rang out over all the chants. All eyes immediately turned to the bleachers where Icicle Sr. was standing. "Kid's got guts and, more important, moves. The kind a father wouldn't mind seeing in his own son," he glared pointedly at Icicle Jr. who sighed in resignation.

"Great to see you too, dad."

"Get over here," Senior said as he sat down. Naruto started to approach with Junior. "Not you, Terror, just Junior." Naruto stopped and the crowd began to disperse. Brick and his crew shuffled off to the conrner, but they shot angry looks back at Naruto who meditated on a metal picnic table.

_Mmm, there's practically any natural energy around here_.

"**What did you expect, we're in prison.** **Oh, hang on. Green girl wants in.**"

_Let her._

"_Naruto?_"

"_I'm here, M'gann. What's new?_"

"_Why is it I sometimes have to wait a second before I can speak with you mentally and other times it just happens naturally?_"

"_It doesn't matter. What did you learn?_"

"_Batman was right, there is something going on. I overheard Killer Frost speaking with a few of the ladies. The ice villains are planning a mass breakout._"

Naruto glanced over at the bleachers. The ice villains were deep in conversation over something. "_Let Kaldur know, but tell him we're staying undercover. We may be able to stop this before it begins._"

"_Understood._" M'gann cut the connection just as a bell rang.

Icicle Jr. slid back to Naruto. "Well, back to the homestead," he said cheerfully.

Naruto frowned. "Well ain't you in a good mood."

Junior shrugged as they made their way back to the cell. "I haven't seen dad in a while. Good to reconnect with family, you know?"

Another image flashed in Naruto's head of a pretty young woman with long, fire-red hair who was laughing uproariously at something. "Yeah," he said as he cleared his mind, "Yeah it is." Icicle jumped into the top bunk as they entered their cell and Naruto rested on his bed.

For a few minutes, they did nothing. Naruto guessed that was probably the point of prison, to do nothing. Eventually, a slot opened in their door and a pair of folded orange jumpsuits fell in. Naruto leaned over and picked them up. Icicle grinned and satup in bed. "Oh Tommy-boy," he said playfully, "I advise putting the new rags on sooner rather than later." Naruto tossed him a jumpsuit and slipped under behind Junior, trying to hide the fact that the clothes he was already wearing were just illusions and that he was putting the jumpsuit on over clothes that weren't really there.

"_M'gann, you hear me?_"

"_Loud and clear, Naruto._"

"_The jailbreak may be sooner than we thought._"

"_Updating Aqualad._"

Suddenly, there was a bang on the door. "Terror!" shouted a voice, "You're up for psych evaluation!" Naruto stood up and approached the door as it opened. A large guard with an even larger gun motioned him forwards and he marched through the cell block to a small, side corridor. He was brought to a wooden door and forced inside.

The inside was surprisingly pleasant. A few small waterfalls trickled along the walls and several bonsai trees were scattered around the room. Professor Strange sat behind a large wooden desk with two chairs on the other side. One of the chairs was already occupied by M'gann in her Tuppence form.

"Ah, Tommy," greeted Strange, "Have a seat." Naruto sat down and shared an uneasyglance with M'gann. "Don't worry," the psychiatrist reassured them, "I'm just going to do a basic psychological evaluation on the two of you so I can have a place to start for our therapy, okay?"

Naruto leaned on his fist and yawned. "Fine, let's get this over with."

Strange proceeded to ask them a series of questions about their pasts. Naruto knew next to nothing about Tommy Terror, so he largely made up everything. M'gann followed suit and they played off of each other's stories to make an interwoven and believable past. Strange would occasionally interject and ask them how they felt during certain events in their lives or how their relation ship with someone went. When they had more or less finished their fictional life stories, Strange leaned back in his chair thoughtfully. "Here's my concern," he said eventually, "Your anti-social tendencies are a roadblock to your reintegration into society and are often stemmed from placing too much trust in each other and not enough in others." He looked at them for confirmation and Naruto nodded lazily.

M'gann glanced over at Naruto and cleared her throat. "Actually, uh, Mr. Strange-"

"Please, dear, call me Hugo."

"Actually, um, Hugo, I don't think Tommy and I trust each other like we once did."

"Interesting Tuppence," nodded Strange, "Elaborate on that." Naruto rolled his eyes and watched a waterfall as M'gann continued.

"Well, we used to be real close like," she said in her faux southern accent, "But lately, I don't think Tommy like bein' around me very much. He disappears for days to be by himself and," she glanced nervously at Naruto who continued to stare at the waterfall, "And I just want us to be happy together again." Naruto snorted to himself.

"**Don't give her that**."

_What?_

"**Look, you indescribably stupid nincompoop,**" Kurama snarled, "**This is the second time in your life where a girl has literally thrown herself at you and you refused her based on your own stupidity. Well not again. You messed up with Hinata, may she rest in peace, but you won't make the same mistake again, I guarantee it.**"

_What are you talking about, furball?_

"**You like her. She likes you. The only thing keeping you apart is the fact that you're a moron. Listen to her! She's practically begging you to like her again! Just stop being stupid and realize that she's not the stupid mole already!**"

_But Saiken-_

"**Saiken couldn't tell a bowl of ramen from one of his own tails. If she was a mole, I'd have sensed her hostility. Trust me, she's fine.**"

Naruto looked over at M'gann. She was still talking with Strange, but he had long since stopped listening to her. "Interesting, very interesting. Tommy, what do you think?"

Naruto blinked. "Um, yeah, very, uh, cool."

Hugo smiled warmly and stood up. "I think that's enough for today. The guards will lead you back to your cells." He snapped his fingers and the door opened. Two guards came in and nodded to Hugo. "I look forwards to working with you," he said as Naruto and M'gann stood to leave.

. . .

Naruto stared at his dinner in disgust. "They always feed ya this in prison?"

"This is nothing," said Icicle Jr., taking a huge slurp of what looked like liquid meatloaf, "You should see what they serve in Sing Sing."

Naruto stabbed what appeared to be a pea with a fork and hesitantly slipped it into his mouth. He shuddered when it hit his tongue. "Tastes like sour grapes."

"Oh! You gonna finish those?" Naruto dumped the rest of his vegetables onto Icicle Jr.'s platter and the villain began to feast.

"How come you ain't sittin' with yer pa?"

Icicle Jr. reclined in his chair. "'Cause my pa is a jerk," he said simply, "Who only wants me around when he needs me. I try not to live or die over getting his approval, you know?" He leaned forwards and smirked. "So, tell me about your sister."

Naruto blinked in confusion. "What, Tuppence? Ugh, she's a pain. Why?"

"Dude!" Icicle jabbed Naruto in the shoulder which made the ninja slightly nervous he might break through the Transformation, "She's so hot! I mean, you can't see it 'cause you're family, but I look at her and I think; that chick gets me. And really that's all you need: someone who sees you for the psychopath that you are and loves you anyway."

Naruto stared at Icicle. "Yeah," he said slowly with a grin growing on his face, "You're like an evil genius or somethin'."

"**That is literally a dumbed down version of what I told you earlier**."

_Shut it, furball._

"Word," agreed Icicle, offering his fist for a pound. Naruto reciprocated it and there was a cry from across the cafeteria.

"That's it old man!" Naruto looked over and saw Freeze standing over Icicle Sr., "Belle Reve needs a new capo!" He kicked Icicle Sr. and he suddenly doubled over in pain.

A guard approached him, the remote that controlled the collars in his hands. "Take him to Waller," he said as Freeze collapsed. Other guards dragged off Freeze's prostrate body and the mess hall returned to normal.

"That was weird," said Icicle nonchalantly as he returned to his food. Naruto shrugged. If Icicle wasn't going to make a big deal out of it, neither should he.

Dinner ended and they began walking back to their cell when Icicle Sr. slammed Junior against a wall. "There's a glitch," he whispered, "Can't reach Frost!"

Naruto smiled to himself. This was the opportunity he'd been waiting for. "'Scuse me," he said as he drew closer, "I couldn't help but overhear."

"That'll happen when you eavesdrop," snarled Icicle Sr.

"Yeah, well, I can help," said Naruto, "I got this mind thing with my sister, see? In utero and all that. You talk to me, I talk to sis, sis talks to Frost."

Icicle Sr. sighed. "Alright then," he crouched down low next to Naruto, "Send the message. It's going down. Now."

Naruto nodded and closed his eyes, pretending to concentrate. "_M'gann?_"

"_Here._"

"_Tell Frost it's time._"

"_Okay. What do we do?_"

"_Improvise_." Naruto opened his eyes and nodded to Icicle Sr.

An alarm blared and blast doors began to close all over the facility. There was a beeping noise from Naruto's neck and he felt his collar turn off. Prisoners began busting out of their cells and wreaking havoc across the prison. "Strength should be back on, dude," said Icicle Jr. as he turned his body to living ice and froze his collar before ripping it off his neck.

"Right, right," Naruto pumped a bit of chakra into his arm and tore the collar from his neck.

_How we doing with chakra, Kurama?_

"**We should be fine for now, but don't try anything too complex.**"

"How're things going with Frost, kid?" asked Icicle Sr. as the prison riot grew in intensity.

"_Naruto!_" shouted M'gann suddenly, "_I think my cover's b-_" her telepathy cut off abruptly.

"_M'gann?_" there was no reply and Naruto's eyes widened, "_M'gann!_"

"Kid?" Naruto turned back to Icicle Sr. He was expecting an answer.

"Everything's peachy," he said quickly.

"Good," said Senior, "Then we better get to work." Naruto followed him and Icicle Jr. through the prison to the outer wall. Captain cold and Mr. Freeze were already there. Icicle Sr. Lined up with them and they blasted their respective freeze rays against the wall. A chill breeze blew through the prison, but Naruto felt no cold.

"Micro-tech thermals in the cloth," whispered Icicle Jr., "Keeps us toasty." The ice villains stopped their freezing for a moment and two beastly villains ran at the ice, pummeling it until both the ice and the part of the wall it was frozen to fell away.

"Genius huh," muttered Junior, "Dad and the others weaken the wall with ice and those guys break through."

"Yeah," muttered Naruto, distractedly. "_M'gann, please, can you hear me? Please respond, for the love of all things holy respond._"

"Junior!" shouted Icicle Sr., "Get to work!"

"We're on it, Dad!" shouted Junior as he dragged Naruto back. Together they, ran to the laundry room. "Check it," said Junior as he froze a section of the wall, "This separates us from the women's wing. We break through here, Dad breaks through out there and we all leave together."

Naruto nodded and began to punch the wall. He wasn't as naturally strong as Tommy Terror, but he wasn't trying to break through.

_I have to get to M'gann._

"**But you can't fight every con in Belle Reve, not in your current state.**"

_Right. I think I might have an idea._ Naruto stopped punching and turned to Icicle. "Just got news from sis," he said, "Some of the collars are turning back on in the women's wing! Could happen this side any minute!"

Junior's eyes widened. "Aw man! We better tell Dad!"

"Or," Naruto said persuasively, "You could take some initiative." Icicle hesitated for a moment before a wide grin split his face and he charged towards the control rooms, Naruto hot on his heels.

Three cons were guarding the room when they arrived. "Freeze says no one goes in," said one as they approached.

"Dude!" snapped Icicle, "You want your collar turned back on?"

"We don't have time for this!" shouted Naruto. He rammed his fist into one of the con's stomach as Icicle froze the other two. Naruto slammed his elbow into the con's head and dropped him. "Keep an eye on 'em!" he said as he ran into the control room, "I'll make sure them collars stay off!"

Naruto closed the door behind him and walked to the main desk. Luckily the master control for the collars was clearly labeled and he flipped the switch to turn them back on. Icicle peeked his head in. "How's it going?"

"It's done!" Naruto charged out of the room, "C'mon! We gotta get the ladies!"

"I'm with ya there, Tommy-boy!" crowed Junior as he followed him back to the laundry room. Naruto punched the wall with renewed vigor. "_I'm almost there, M'gann! Hang on!_"

There was a loud growl and Naruto turned. Two of the giants and Freeze stood behind them. "I just went to the warden's office," said Freeze in cold fury, "Hook and Abra were frozen before their collars turned back on."

"What are you talking about?" demanded Icicle, "We stopped the collars from turning back on. Oh, and you're welcome!"

Freeze's eyes narrowed and Naruto seized the opportunity. "Don't you get it?" he whispered to Icicle, "You heard Freeze in the mess. This is his power play! He's taking what belongs to yer pa!" Icicle snarled and shot a beam of ice at Freeze who countered with his own ray. The two giants roared and leapt at Naruto who wove between their attacks. He pumped chakra into his arms and slammed the two behemoths into the wall. One of them kicked him in the chest and he went flying, skidding on the floor at Icicle's feet. Looking up, he saw Icicle struggling against Freeze. "Wanna trade dancing partners?"

"Deal!" Naruto rolled to his feet and tackled Freeze while Icicle turned his powers on the monsters. Naruto grabbed Freeze's glass dome and pushed chakra into it, shattering it.

"No!" shouted Freeze in horror, "I can't survive unless-" he turned his freeze ray on himself and engulfed his head in ice.

"I got mine," said Icicle. He'd frozen the two beasts in a solid block of ice. "I don't know if that'll hold them."

"Doesn't matter," snarled Naruto, "Just step back." _Kurama, pull out the stops._ Demonic chakra poured into Naruto and he sneered as his body slowly became covered in a boiling, red chakra cloak.

"Dude!" cried Icicle in surprise, "What the heck is that?!"

"This," shouted Naruto as he fell on all fours and a red tail burst from his tailbone, "Is what happens when you make me angry!" He shot forwards with a roar and barreled straight through the wall. Rubble fell around him as he landed in a crouch and looked up. Most of the female criminals were unconscious on the ground, their collars tuning on them unexpectedly. Only two cons remained, a thin woman with blue skin and a massive female with arms like meet hooks.

"Well, well, well," said the blue woman, "It's the brother. Care to share Tuppy's fate?" She gestured to the side and Naruto gapped. Frozen in a pillar of ice was M'gann, a look of shock forever marked on her face.

"Oh," breathed Naruto softly, "You really shouldn't have done that." With a primal bellow, Naruto zig-zagged across the room too fast for the naked eye to follow. He dug the claws of his cloak into the shoulder of the huge woman and she screamed in pain. With a twist, he flung her like a rag doll against the far wall, throwing her through a line of washing machines in the process.

The blue woman raised her arms and ice shot out of her hands, but it melted against the boiling chakra. Naruto dove at her, completely embracing her in his burnging form. She screamed in pain, but he clung tightly too her. "You froze her," he whispered, "But you'll burn." Slowly, her screams faded away and Naruto got off of her. Her blue skin was now a dark pink and covered with harsh burns and scrapes. She panted slowly on the ground as Naruto walked away, his chakra cloak fading.

"Dude!" shouted Icicle as he climbed through the hole in the wall, "That was totally awesome, but what were you thinking?!" Naruto ignored him and walked towards M'gann he bent down by the ice and closed his eyes, fighting back tears. He had cried too often for a lost comrade.

"Oh, dude, I'm sorry," said Icicle as he saw M'gann's fate, "And she was such the total babe too."

"Icicle," Naruto clenched his fists, "Shut up. Just…just shut up."

He bent down and focused his mind. "_M'gann, can you hear me? I'm going to get you out of there, I swear it. Just don't leave me, please just don't leave me."_

Before either Naruto or Icicle could react, the ice shattered and M'gann fell into Naruto's arms. "Are you okay?" he whispered to her as he embraced her.

"I-it's pretty cold where I come from," she whispered back, "I'll be-"

Naruto cut her off with a kiss. He didn't know why he did it and if anyone asked him, he probably wouldn't be able to say how, but somehow, through a twist of fate or divine intervention, his lips found their way to hers and they connected in an explosion of beauty and affection.

"Dude!" cried Icicle behind him, "That's your sister!" M'gann morphed back into herself and Naruto burst into smoke as he dropped the Transformation. "What the…Is she…Are you…Oh. Oh, Dad's gonna kill me."

M'gann moaned into Naruto's mouth and he smiled. _Satisfied, furball?_

"**Kiss now, talk later.**" Naruto was all too eager to comply. Still, they had things to do.

"_Hey, M'gann?_"

"_Mmm, yeah?_"

"_Think we should tell Kaldur to get us out of here?_"

"_Mmm, nah, we can stay here for now._"

"_No arguments here._"

, , ,

Thanks for the reviews! Keep 'em coming!

I had a lot of trouble with this one, since the whole episode was really confined and didn't allow for a lot of deviation from the general storyline. Still, I'm glad I finally get to write Naruto and M'gann together. I don't know if I'll write any lemon scenes with them, but even if I do it won't be for a while. Still, expect their romance to blossom!

Also, sorry about a few continuity errors. I've re-uploaded the chapter to fix them.


	13. Home Front

Same disclaimers and italics as before.

Chapter 13: Home Front

Naruto smiled at his reflection and his reflection scowled back. "Wipe that smirk off your face," muttered his doppelganger, "You're not the one who had to catch the stupid squirrel." Naruto patted the head of the struggling rodent in his clone's tight grip.

"You know what the best part of the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu is?" he asked as he stepped back and formed a circular hand seal.

"No," sighed his clone, "The memory bleed effect?"

"No. The best part is that I can train with myself and make sure I look good for my date at the same time." He aimed his hands at the squirrel and narrowed his eyes. "Mind Transfer Jutsu!"

All at once, his vision blurred and his mind became fuzzy. After a few seconds, both cleared and Naruto found himself looking down on his own slumped over body. He flexed the squirrel's fingers experimentally. Every nerve in the body fought him, but his spirit overwhelmed the squirrel's animalistic mind.

His clone brought him up to eye level. "You in there?" he asked, "Just nod." Naruto pushed the squirrel's head up and down and the clone dropped him unceremoniously to the ground. Naruto reared up and hissed angrily at the clone, but the clone just shrugged and leaned against a tree.

Naruto curled up, wrapping the squirrel's fuzzy tail around his body. In a flash, he dashed across the clearing to a birch tree and spiraled up its thin trunk. He clambered onto the thin branches and glanced around wildly through the trees, experiencing vision through the eyes of prey. After a few minutes, he felt his mind being clawed and yanked out of the squirrel's body. He blinked and when he opened his eyes, he was back in his own body. "Well, that was fun," he said as he stood up and brushed himself off, "How long was that?"

The clone glanced at his watch, a gift from Robin who was tired of Naruto asking for the time. "Well," he sighed, "I have good news and bad news. The good news is that your soul lasted a full thirty seconds longer than it did yesterday."

"Four minutes, forty-five seconds," Naruto nodded appreciatively, "I'm getting better. What's the bad news?"

His clone shot him a sympathetic glance. "It's six thirty." Naruto's heart skipped a beat and his face turned whiter than the moon. The clone dispersed in a blast of smoke and Naruto shot across the clearing. He wove and ducked through trees and bushes, sliding up and down hills until he reached his favorite part of his run.

The trees in this world were usually weaker and smaller than the trees of his world. As such, it was difficult to find jump from branch to branch at high speeds like he had in his youth. Luckily, however, between the Cave and Naruto's favorite training spot, there was a stretch of oak trees that were sturdy and strong and could support his weight. He loved to rush through them at speeds that would shame an Olympic runner; it reminded him of home but did not inspire heartache or homesickness. Today though? Today he couldn't enjoy his run.

He landed in a roll in the clearing before the entrance to the Cave and the ramp lowered for him as the computer recognized the hero. He slid down the ramp and skidded to a halt in the hangar.

M'gann was wearing a lovely outfit and was tapping her foot with her arms folded in front of her Bioship. Naruto approached her sheepishly. "Um," he said quickly, "Wally did it?"

M'gann raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"No," Naruto admitted, "Blaming stuff on Wally is just second nature at this point."

M'gann threw up her arms in exasperation. "Really Naruto? On our first date? They've probably already given away our reservation!"

Naruto's heart was beating like a jackhammer and his mind was racing, jumping from one thought to another. _How can I turn this?_

"**Relax, kit,**" grunted Kurama, "**Just do exactly as I say.**"

Naruto paused as he listened to Kurama's instructions and stepped closer to M'gann. He put his hands on her shoulder and looked her in the eyes. "M'gann, darling," he said softly and sincerely, "The truth is I was out training. I had a nightmare last night where you needed my help and I wasn't strong enough to save you. It got me scared and, well, I guess I lost track of time while I trained. I'm so, so sorry, but if it helps me lead and protect you better, if it saves your life and protects the people I care about, then I think it was worth a date."

M'gann stared at him and her shoulders slumped. "That," she said slowly, "Was so unbelievably corny."

Naruto winced. "Yeah, I know."

"But it was the good type of corny," M'gann grabbed him by the chest and yanked his lips to hers. Naruto smiled into her face. _Kurama, you're the man. How'd you do that?_

"**I've been imprisoned within two different women in my time,**" yawned Kurama, "**I have a very basic understanding of how they work.**" M'gann leaned in deeper and moaned softly into his mouth. Naruto wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer still. He rubbed her spine and she shuddered as every nerve in her body flared.

"Well," Naruto leapt to the side and whistled innocently as Connor walked into the hangar, a red tool box in his hand, "About freaking time."

"C-Connor!" stuttered M'gann, her face a violent clash of her usual green and a deep scarlet, "Um, how long have you been there?"

"Long enough," Connor walked to his car and opened the hood, "That was the corniest thing I've ever heard outside of a chick flick."

Naruto sighed and put his arm around M'gann's hip. "Just remember," he said with a smirk, "Whenever you insult how I romance my girlfriend, ask yourself how you're doing with Hanabi."

Connor scowled as he began to tinker with the engine. "That was low, man." But Naruto was too busy to listen. He dipped her and planted tiny pecks on her nose and freckles.

"That tickles!" she giggled as she lightly swatted his face away.

"Mmm," Naruto smiled as he continued his assault, "Has anyone ever told you you have the cutest laugh?"

"I could hear it more often." Connor shook his head at the couple as he continued to improve his car. Sphere rolled out from one of the hallways and squawked as he swung into a circular doughnut around Connor. Connor patted his mechanical pet and cocked his head to the side.

"You guys might want to stop that."

Naruto looked up. "Why?"

"Because I don't think Wally would take your relationship well."

"Ah," Naruto righted M'gann and took a step away from her, "Good point."

Just as he spoke, a yellow blur shot into the room faster than the naked eye could follow. "Hey guys," greeted Wally, munching on a sandwich, "What's going on?"

"I was just helping Connor with his car," Naruto Hiraished next to Connor and flicked a wrench into his hand.

"A-and I was, um, making sure the Bioship was alright," nodded M'gann.

"Well, if you're dealing with mentally controlled organic matter," Wally took a bite of his sandwich, "You might need the Wall-man's expert help." M'gann glanced anxiously at Naruto as Wally began to approach her. Naruto patted Sphere affectionately and turned to the car engine with Connor.

"**Hey, kit.**"

_Yeah?_

"**Strong feeling of guilt coming from seven o'clock.**" Naruto turned and saw Kladur walking towards the hangar with his head hung. Naruto groaned and his hands curled to fists. He backed away from Connor and intercepted Kaldur before he entered the hangar. He grabbed the Atlantean by the lapel and pushed him against the wall.

"You told, didn't you," he hissed. Kaldur nodded sadly. "Who and why?"

"Just Red Tornado," said Kaldur quietly, "I'm sorry, Naruto. It is not that I don't trust you, but I just didn't feel safe unless someone outside the team was aware of the chance that there is a mole on the team."

Naruto slumped his shoulders. "Alright fine, but nobody else, okay? I want this as contained as possible. The last thing we need is for a potential traitor to be tipped off that we're onto them. Silence is crucial. Understand?" Kaldur nodded and Naruto let him off the wall as they walked back into the hangar.

"I have been meaning to ask," said Kaldur to the collected team, "Have there been any problems juggling school work with your responsibilities here?"

"No," said Naruto, "What really puts a strain on me is taking care of the cubs in my off time. But I don't worry too much, the cubs can take care of themselves without me."

"Juggling's just one of my many talents," bragged Wally as he caressed the Bioship.

"Nope," said Connor from underneath the hood of his car.

"Daily cheerleading practice has presented a challenge," M'gann said as she stepped around the Bioship to subtly avoid Wally, "But my first loyalty is always to the team. This team. Not the Bumblebees."

"Artemis starts school today," pondered Kaldur, "Do you think she will have trouble maintaining her loyalties?"

Wally snorted. "Nah, she'll manage alright. I mean, how much more hostile can you-" He was interrupted by a huge explosion that sent the entire team tumbling back. An entire section of the cave wall had been blown open and a part of the natural cavern had collapsed. Connor recovered quickly and leapt forwards just in time to intercept a massive rock that looked to crush his car.

Water from the pond burst up and washed towards the team. Naruto grabbed M'gann and pulled her out of the way. Wally ran past them, diving against the wall as a flood of water washed besides them. "What the heck is going on?!"

"We're under attack!" shouted Kaldur as he leapt in front of them. The wave of water twisted and spiraled towards the team Kaldur swept the water away with his bearers and split the tide reveal the threat. It was a tall red humanoid with yellow markings across his broad chest.

"That sure looks familiar," Naruto muttered as he and M'gann dashed up the stairs to the launch pad. A blast of fire made them skid to a halt as a second red humanoid flew up in front of them, a line of fire trailing behind it. Wally shot forwards and landed a solid punch on the fire figure's curved chest. It echoed with a clang and Wally stumbled backwards.

"Robots!" he exclaimed, "They're machines!"

"Good," Naruto covered M'gann as a fire ball flew over their heads. The heat made her shiver in pain and shrink lower. "Go help Aqualad!" he shouted to Wally, "Superboy! Get Ms. Martian out of here! The fire will kill her!"

Connor punched a falling rock away from his car. "But-"

"Do it!" Connor groaned and jumped off his car. Naruto got up from over M'gann as Wally ran back to help Kaldur. As M'gann rushed to Connor, Naruto bent down in a crouch. "Robots," he growled as he formed a series of shadow clones, "I don't have to go easy on robots." Several of the clones ran forwards and attempted to overpower the robot with numbers. The robot just engulfed her body in flames and any clone that touched it burst into smoke.

Just as the robot brought down her fire shield, Naruto struck. "Rasengan!" The attack crumpled into the robot's metal stomach, twisting and warping its steel abdomen. Before he could get his blow half an inch in, however, he was backhanded hard and spun across the floor. He got to his feet and snarled as he made a ring of shadow clones around him. "At least we know you're not invulnerable." He dove to the side and his clones scattered, running in circles around the robot.

"Which is the real me?" called one of the clones.

"Is it me?"

"Or is it me?"

"Perhaps it's me!" The robot's head swiveled a full three-hundred and sixty degrees trying to keep track of the real Naruto. His clones were doing nothing to distract it, he realized, the robot's advanced computer brain allowed it to calculate which one was the real him. Instead, he should use them for attack.

He made sure the robot's attention was solely on him before he gave the subtle signal for his clones to strike. There was no time to absorb natural energy and go into sage mode, but Kurama's chakra enabled them to unleash a power no simple Rasengan could muster.

"Giant Rasengan Barrage!" shouted his clones as one as they slammed their large spheres of chakra into the robot's back. The metal tore and ripped like paper under the attack and one of the robot's arms was ripped off before it spun and unleashed a wave of fire that cut through the clones and their attacks.

Naruto ducked under the fire and adopted a taijutsu stance against the now limping robot. He must have damaged its circuitry. Something hit him from behind like a moving wall and he was slammed against the rock face of the Cave's walls. He fell to the ground with a groan and felt his shoulder gingerly. It felt dislocated and throbbed painfully. He looked up and saw the water-controlling robot walking up the stairs to join its wounded sibling. M'gann and Kaldur flung over its shoulders.

"You…might want…to let them…go," panted Naruto as he struggled to his feet, "Last time I…fought a robot…it didn't go well…for the robot."

The two robots looked at each other and back to Naruto. The fire robot extended its remaining arm and fire burst from its palm, encasing the unconscious forms of M'gann and Kaldur in a cage made of fire. Naruto glared and shifted his shoulder painfully. He needed to save his team, but he was in no condition to fight.

"**The Zeta Tubes,**" called Kurama, "**Head for the Zeta Tubes!**" Naruto launched himself into the hallway and took off running. A blaze of fire scorched the wall behind him and he stumbled slightly as he ran towards the main hall. As he rounded a corner into the hall, he made a large group of shadow clones. It was hard to make the seal with his dislocated arm, but he used his mouth to bite his sleeve, keeping his hand up long enough to make the cross-shaped seal.

"Delay them!" he hissed as he slid to the center of the hall and began to meditate. The two robots turned the corner and Naruto's clones drew their kunai. The two androids extended their arms and held each other's hand. They activated their abilities and their water and fire collided, quickly forming a cloud of thick steam that enveloped the room. Naruto winced as his clones were destroyed one by one in the fog. An orange pigmentation slowly formed over his eye. Behind him, the Zeta Tubes activated and Robin walked in.

"Naruto? What the-" Naruto's eyes widened as his last clone was destroyed and he leapt at Robin, pulling him to the ground as a fireball swept overhead.

The Zeta Tubes activated again and Artemis stepped in. "What's going on?" Naruto pushed Robin into Artemis and shoved them towards a hallway.

"Go! I'll join you in a second!" Two shadow clones formed by his side as the other heroes ran and began forming the powerful Rasenshuriken attack in his hand. As the wind chakra was added to the jutsu, the steam cloud was blown away, revealing the two robots at the other end of this room. "Wind Style! Rasenshuriken!" he launched the attack with his one good arm and ran after Artemis and Robin, leaving his clones to deal with the intruders.

"Who are we fighting!?" demanded Artemis as Naruto caught up with them.

"No idea!" he called back, "But the Tubes aren't an option and neither is the hangar! Head for the back door!" They turned a corner and a wave of water splashed before them.

"Or not," muttered Robin as they turned to run from the tide. The water swept them away, tossing and turning their bodies in its currents. Naruto managed to grab onto Robin and he grabbed Artemis, both maintained a death grip on them. After a few seconds, they were slammed against the cave wall. Naruto cried out in pain as his dislocated arm was jerked around. A hail of fireballs rained down on them as Artemis slung Naruto's arm over her shoulder and Robin led them into another hallway. They quickly ran into the gym. Robin put a hand to his ear and tried to communicate with the team.

"Don't bother!" said Naruto, "They're all down!" The door blew open behind them with a burst of flame.

"Quick! The showers!" Artemis hefted Naruto and they ran into the cool-down area. Robin began turning nozzles and water poured out of the shower heads. Naruto knelt down and Artemis gripped his shoulder.

"Dislocated," she said grimly.

"I know!" grunted Naruto, "Can you pop it back in?"

"Yeah, but it'll hurt."

"Been through worse."

"And you'll need a few weeks to recover."

"I heal fast. Shut up and do it." Artemis gave him a sympathetic look before roughly jamming his arm back into its socket. Pain erupted through Naruto and he cried out in agony. Still, the pain faded fast and Kurama's chakra was already healing the ruptured ligaments and muscle tissue. Naruto stood up with a groan.

"Comm's down!" said Robin as he drew a pair of shuriken, "At least we're safe in the showers." There was a distinctive groaning of pipes and the shower handles suddenly burst open, pouring water into the room. The airtight door to the room sealed shut and it began to flood. "Or not," said Robin with a shrug. The water rose above their heads and they quickly took deep breaths before their air was cut off. Robin swam over to the wall and attached a shuriken to it. An explosion rocked the room and the wall was blasted open. The three heroes slid out with the water and took off running.

"How'd you know that would work?" panted Naruto as he started to flex his arm.

"Superboy told me."

Artemis blinked in confusion. "Why would Superboy know which walls were connected with the showers?" Naruto and Robin glanced at each other and looked back to Artemis.

"Well, Artemis, there's a time in every young clone's life where he begins to get interested in women and-"

Artemis snarled as she realized what Naruto was talking about. "That peeping tom! I'll kill him!"

"Later! Right now, we need to get lost!" Robin said as they entered the kitchen.

"The air vent!" shouted Naruto as he ran towards the vent over the stove, "Robin! Download the cave blueprints!" He ran towards the stove and yanked the cover off the vent.

"Naruto!" gasped Artemis, "Your arm!"

"Told you I heal fast," he smirked, "Now let's move!" He jumped up into the vent and clambered upwards, Artemis right behind him. Robin jumped in after her.

"First left!" he hissed up to Naruto, "Then a right!" Naruto complied and crawled into a side vent with Artemis. Robin tucked himself in with them just in time for a pillar of fire to blow past them. "Too close," breathed Robin.

"Naruto, what's going on!?" demanded Artemis.

"We're under attack by elemental robots," Naruto groaned as he rested his head against the pipe, "We need to move. They know we're here."

"I hacked the motion sensors," said Robin, "Just like a Cadmus. They think we're headed for the boiler room. Now, did you say elemental robots? Like Red Tornado?"

Naruto glared over at the boy wonder. "Well they were red, they were robots, and they control fire and water. What would you call them?"

"So wait, Red Tornado has siblings?" hissed Artemis, "That's crazy!"

Naruto had to crack a smile. "You work with two aliens, an Atlantean, a speedster, and an inter-dimensional traveler. Are two evil robots really all that crazy?"

"What happened to the rest of the team?" she asked, ignoring Naruto.

"They got taken down in the hangar."

"Are they-"

"I don't know," said Naruto before she could finish, "But it doesn't matter."

"What!?" Artemis stared at him incredulously, "How can you say that? How can you stay so calm?"

"I'm a ninja," said Naruto simply, "I'm used to high stake situations. I've lost teammates before. All I can do is try not to lose any more."

"I've been doing this since I was nine," said Robin with a shrug, "Batman's a good teacher."

"What do we do?" groaned Artemis, "Red Tornado is one of the powerhouses of the League! How do we defeat two of him?"

In the distance, there was a crackling of static as the Cave's PA system activated and echoed through the vents. "Attention Artemis, attention Robin, attention Shinobi," the voice was metallic and identical to Red Tornado's. The similarity between the intruders and the hero made Naruto's skin crawl. "You have exactly ten minutes to surrender or the lives of your teammates will be extinguished."

For a few seconds, the three heroes sat in silence. "They really might die!" whispered Artemis as she curled into the fetal position, "Oh my God! Our super powered friends couldn't take them down! What chance do we have?"

Robin sighed and gazed into space thoughtfully. "What about your Amaterasu?" he asked suddenly.

Artemis looked up eagerly. "Hey yeah! You took out Amazo in, like, ten seconds with that move!"

"No," said Naruto firmly, "I want to know who built these things, who sent them, and how they knew we were here. I can't do that if all that's left is ash. If I need to destroy them to save lives, I will, but right now our options are open…although," he paused and a smile split his face. "I have an idea. Robin, find us a route to the hangar. Do you have a shuriken with a communicator on it?"

Robin flipped up a red shuriken from his utility belt. "Right here, why?"

"Okay, here's the plan," Naruto crawled over and headed out of the side vent, "I'll distract them while you get that shuriken to Wally. With any luck, he has an idea about how EMPs work and can walk you through the process of building one. Use it to disable the robots."

"You think we can do all that in ten minutes?" muttered Artemis.

Naruto grinned. "They'll be too busy dealing with me to keep track of time."

"They beat you last time," Robin pointed out, "What's gonna be different now?"

Naruto rolled his shoulder. "I have two arms, for one thing. Which way to the hangar?"

"Take a left and two rights." Naruto led the way and found himself at a grate that looked into the hangar. Kaldur and M'gann were still in the fire cage and neither looked okay. Connor and Wally were frozen in ice on the floor of the hangar, where water rose up to their necks. The two robots floated about the room patiently, waiting for their demands to be met.

"Ready?" asked Naruto. Robin and Artemis looked at each other and nodded nervously. "Good. Artemis, cover Robin. I'll try and keep their attention on me."

"I ask again," whispered Robin, "How do you plan to keep them occupied?" Naruto grinned and kicked open the grate with a clang. The robots looked over as he fell to the floor with a roll.

"Shinobi," said the water android, "Have you come to surrender?"

"Funny," Naruto bit both of his thumbs till he drew blood, "I was about to ask you the same thing." His hands flew through a series of hand signs and he slapped both hands on the ground. "Summoning Jutsu!" There were twin bursts of smoke and two low growls as the robots backed away.

The smoke cleared to show two large beasts, each about the size of a horse. One was made of blue fire and resembled a large cat with two tails flicking behind it. The other was a grinning purple ox with eight octopus tentacles for legs. "You called?" growled Matatabi as she crouched down. Her flaming claws extended with a distinctive shink.

"Hmm," hummed Gyuki, "It looks like that one controls water and that one controls fire, right?"

"Why do you think I summoned you two?" Naruto stood up as Robin and Artemis slid out of the vents behind him. "They're robots so you can go crazy. Just leave enough for us to analyze."

"Robots, huh?" Matatabi purred, "This ought to show up Shukaku for his fight in Bialya."

Gyuki grunted. "You know, I have a sneaking suspicion this little competition between you and the One-Tail is going to get us all killed one day."

Matatabi charged forwards and latched her powerful jaws around the fire robot's midriff. Gyuki lunged as well, wrapping his legs around the water robot. Robin tapped Naruto on the shoulder. "I planted the comm. K.F. can help us build a EMP from the X-ray machine from the med lab."

"Get moving," muttered Naruto, "I'll help the cubs." Robin nodded and ran into a hallway, Artemis right on his tail. "You guys okay?" asked Naruto.

Matatabi threw her robot across the room and dodged the fireballs that launched back at you. She charged forwards and plunged her claws through the robot's shoulder. "I'm good here."

The water robot ripped itself from Gyuki's grip, but he tripped it up and spat a glob of think ink at the fallen android. The ink hardened quickly, trapping the robot to the ground. "I could do this all day," he grunted.

"Good," Naruto ran up the stairs to the fire cage, "How is she, Kaldur?"

"She is unconscious," he panted, "I don't think she, uh, we can last much longer."

Naruto reached behind him and tossed a kunai into the cage. He took a step back and Hiraishined into the cage. "Whew," he panted as the heat scorched his skin, "A lot hotter on the inside." He tossed his kunai back out of the cage and wrapped his arms around Kaldur and M'gann. With a blink of an eye, he got held them outside the cage. He ducked as Gyuki was thrown overhead. "Still good?" he asked as the tailed beast righted himself.

"Got 'em on the ropes," he grunted as Matatabi was flung up next to him. The two robots flew to the launch pad and a tornado of fire blew towards them. Naruto threw Kaldur into the flooded floor of the Hangar and pulled M'gann along with him towards the halls.

"Aqualad! Free K.F. and Superboy!" he shouted as picked up M'gann bridal style, "Matatabi, Gyuki! Trade up!"

Matatabi grunted. "Fine," she muttered, "But Shukaku better recognize my part in taking down _both_ robots." She leapt at the water robot, her tails wrapping around its arms as she rammed it in the chest, ripping its mechanical limbs off.

Gyuki flipped through a few hand seals and propelled himself into the air with his tentacles. "Water Style!" he roared, pushing his palms forward, "Tearing Torrent!" A blast of water shot from his hands like a gunshot. It caught the fire robot in the chest and it stumbled back into the flooded water where Gyuki swam after it.

"Naruto!" Naruto turned to see Robin running at him from the hallway, a strange device in hand, "I got the EMP!"

"Use it!"

"I need to plug it into the main generator!" Artemis ran up next to Robin and shot an arrow across the hangar with a line attached. Robin grabbed the line and swung to the main generator. He pried off a panel and attached the EMP.

"It's not working!" he shouted, "The circuit's incomplete!"

"Naruto!" shouted Matatabi, "I can't keep this up much longer!" Water was circling around her from the feet of the water robot. Matatabi was burning as hot as she could and the water was steaming from being in her presence, but it was slowly circling closer to her.

"Oh God!" shouted Artemis, "What do we do?"

Naruto reached into her quiver and yanked out her last arrow. It was an explosive arrow so he snapped the head off and jammed the hilt of his kunai to it, attaching it with a bit of chakra. "You tell me," he said, handing her the makeshift arrow, "You're the archer." Artemis's anxious face steeled and snatched away the arrow. She took a running leap off the launch pad and shot the arrow with expert marksmanship. The metal of the kunai completed the circuit and a wave of blue, electro-magnetic energy rippled across the room. As it swept over the robots, they sparked and the red lights in their eyes faded. Artemis fell into the water with a splash as it began to recede into the pool.

The fire cage faded and Naruto leaned M'gann against the curved walls of the hallway. "You okay?" he asked her softly.

"That's one…heck of a…first date." Naruto smiled and planted a kiss on her forehead as she drifted back into unconsciousness. He walked out of the hall and Gyuki shot up out of the water to join Matatabi on the launch pad. "Good work, you too."

"Hardly," boomed Gyuki, "If anything, this shows we need more training. We received word that the League of Shadows are training our brothers and sister to be their ultimate selves. I do not wish to refute your tutelage, Naruto, but if we are struggling to keep up with robots, than perhaps we need more, shall we say, real world experience?"

Matatabi lowered her head. "He has a point, boss. That was a little too close."

Naruto sighed. "I know. I've always been planning to release you into the world, but I wanted to train you first. I guess my training has held you back instead of making you stronger."

"It's not your fault," said Gyuki gently, "We are your first students, after all."

"And we did win in the end," Matatabi pointed out, "You are a good teacher, Naruto, you just need to let us move on."

Naruto nodded and hung his head. "We'll talk about this later." He flipped through the hand seals and the two demons burst into smoke as they were returned to the Tower of Fate. Walking past where they had been, he peered into the hangar. "Everyone alright?" Kaldur was working on freeing Connor from the ice by using his water bearers as a machete.

"We're fine," called Wally, "Good here." Naruto vaulted down to them and landed with a grunt. Sphere had been impaled into the wall at some point during the original fight and he stuck to the wall, lifeless and motionless. The shells of the robot, or what was left of them, had been propped against the wall.

"It would appear you had quite the adventure today." Naruto spun at the metallic voice, fully prepared for a fight, but sighed in relief when he saw Red Tornado flying out of the halls.

"Red! Where've you been?" demanded Wally.

"Monitor duty," replied Red in a monotone, "Green Arrow asked me to cover him so he could attend a 'hot date'. Now, what has occurred?"

"Had a little visit from your family," Robin motioned to the lifeless robot bodies against the wall.

"Your extremely nasty family," grunted Artemis under her breath.

"I was not aware I had relations," said Red Tornado as he approached the robots. Against the wall, Sphere revved abruptly and ripped himself off the stone launch pad, landing with a thump on the ground.

"Hey boy," said Connor.

Artemis's eyes widened. "The EMP! It's worn off!"

Red Tornado crouched down and gently touched one of the robots. A single spark flew between their palms and Red stood up, turning to face the team. The air suddenly picked up as Red Tornado began to suck the oxygen out of the room. Most of the team was so unprepared for the attack that they fell unconscious in seconds as the air was ripped from their lungs.

Naruto lasted a few seconds longer and, to his credit, managed to lift his eye patch before he blacked out.

. . .

"Shinobi? Shinobi, can you hear me?" Naruto opened his eyes and winced as his Sharigan took in the face of a very concerned looking man with a curly black mustache.

"Mmm," he groaned, "Zatara, right?" Zatara helped him to his feet and Naruto flipped down his eye patch. Looking around, Naruto saw other members of the Justice League helping the rest of the team back to their feet. "What happened?"

"We were hoping you could tell us that," said Zatara in a thick Italian accent.

"The Reds," Naruto recalled, "The Reds attacked us. Tornado…" He looked around to hangar. The robot family was nowhere in sight. "Where's Tornado? Where's the other androids?"

"They're gone," said Robin, turning away from Batman, "All three of them."

. . .

Please review! We're almost at 200!


	14. Alpha Male

Same disclaimers and italics as before.

Chapter 14: Alpha Male

Naruto paced uncomfortably. It had been only a few hours since the infiltration of the Cave by the Reds. A makeshift picnic bench had been placed in the middle of the Cave's main hall and the rest of the team was sitting at it, their heads down and faces glum. Around the Cave, various members of the Justice League were helping to reassemble the head quarters and reset the security protocols.

Green Arrow walked over to the table with a bowl of nuts. "Here," he said, putting the bowl on the table, "Eat up."

"Thanks," grunted Wally, "But no thanks."

"Yeah," agreed Robin, "We don't want food, we want answers! What happened with Tornado and his siblings?"

"Eaxctly!" enthused Wally. Green Arrow shrugged and moved to take the bowl back, but Wally snatched it out of his hands and began to inhale the nuts.

Naruto managed a small smile at the sight until he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw Batman glaring down at him. "Let's talk." The dark knight led him away from the team towards the far wall. "Robin informed we of the specifics," grunted Batman, "As leader, did you have any prior knowledge about the possibility of a traitor?"

Naruto hesitated. "**Tell him, kit**," groaned Kurama, "**Cat's outta the bag anyway.**"

"Vaguely," said Naruto after a pause, "There were previous indications that there may be someone on the team with ulterior motives, but I elected to ignore it."

Batman's eyes narrowed. "If you ignored the warnings, why have you spent the last few weeks training extensively?"

"Robin," grunted Naruto, "He's gotten better at hiding from me."

"So you both knew the potential of an inside threat and decided not to tell your team while at the same time training to become stronger than them?"

"Not exactly," protested Naruto lightly, "The sources for my intel were-" He was cut off by a massive hand that could turn coal into diamond wrapping around his throat.

Connor shoved him against the cave wall and Naruto grunted. "You knew?!" roared the clone.

_Kurama! A little warning next time?_

"**Sorry. The kid's temper is on a hairpin trigger.**"

"That android and his maniac family nearly killed us all!" raged Connor.

"Connor!" M'gann flew up and swooped towards them, "What are you doing?"

"Naruto knew we had a traitor among us and said nothing!"

The team stood up from the table and stared incredulously at Naruto, who was starting to struggle for breath. "You knew?" demanded Robin, "And didn't tell us?" Naruto pushed against Connor and he reluctantly dropped his leader from the wall.

Naruto panted for sweet air before he looked up. "Just wanted…to protect the team."

"Protect us from what?" shouted Artemis, "Knowledge that would have saved our lives?"

"What do you make of this, Kaldur?" demanded Wally. Kaldur nervously rubbed the back of his head and looked away. That was all the answer Wally needed. "You knew too?! Dude! We've known each other for years! Where's the trust?!"

"Enough." It was one word, but it came from Batman so everyone immediately shut up and gave their attention to him. "With Red Tornado…missing," continued Batman, "The team will now be overseen by a rotating supervisors. Captain Marvel has volunteered to take the first shift."

A tall and muscular man in a red military uniform with a lightning bolt across his chest and a white cape trailing him flew out of one of the hallways. "Hi guys," he said with a wave, "I'm really looking forwards to working with you." The team exchanged glances, clearly unimpressed with the new setup.

Connor leaned over and draped his arms over Naruto and Kaldur's shoulders. "After I dismantle Red Tornado," he hissed, "Us three are gonna-"

"Red Tornado is a member of the Justice League," interrupted Batman, "That makes him a League responsibility. You _will_ leave him to us." He took a step back and brought up the hologram screens. "I have another assignment for this team."

A series of headlines flashed on the screen and Wally snorted. "'Gotham Mayor Attacked by Guerilla Gorilla?'" he read aloud.

"_Was this the only thing he could find for us?_" Connor asked through M'gann's psychic link.

"Batman, please!" insisted Robin, "Tell me your not sending us on this joke of a mission."

"I never joke," said Batman with dead sincerity, "I've checked the sources, studied the patterns, this is only the latest in a series of incidents. Naruto, you'll take your team to India to investigate."

Naruto nodded and motioned for the team to get ready for departure. As he passed him, Wally snorted under his breath. "'Your team'. Yeah right." Naruto glared after him as he put on his ANBU mask and headed for the hangar.

"Naruto?" Kaldur walked up behind him, "I need to apologize."

"What for?" asked Naruto as he checked to make sure he had a few kunai on him.

"You asked me to remain silent about the mole," he said, "And I told the mole itself that we were onto him. It is likely that my actions were what led to last night's fiasco."

"Relax," sighed Naruto, "Tornado would have betrayed us if you had spoken with him or not. If anything, we're lucky he showed his hand so soon so we could stem the flow of intel out of the Cave." They walked into the hangar where Connor was telling Sphere he couldn't come.

Captain Marvel flew up behind them and dropped to the ground as he walked into the Bioship. "You're coming with?" asked Robin as he and Wally walked out of another hallway.

"Sure, we'll have a blast!" said Captain Marvel eagerly as he stepped inside.

Robin scoffed and folded his arms. "Translation: he blames us for the Red fiasco. Doesn't trust us."

Wally glanced back at Naruto and Kaldur as he and Robin stepped into the Bioship. "Big club."

Kaldur's shoulders drooped and Naruto padded him on the back. "This'll blow over in a week," he said with a sigh, "They're blowing this out of proportion as it is."

"Oh, really?" Naruto turned to see M'gann floating past them towards the Bioship, her face stony and stoic.

"Et tu, M'gann?"

"You didn't trust us, Naruto," she said, her voice cold and hard, "You didn't trust me. That hurts. A lot." She hovered into the Bioship.

Naruto sighed as he and Kaldur climbed in as well. It was a little crowded with all of them and Captain Marvel, but they made it work. Naruto subtly flipped his mask to the side and flicked up his eye patch. A smile flittered across his face as he stared at Captain Marvel with his Sharingan. "Interesting," he murmured, "Very interesting."

"What was that?" asked Connor sharply from across the ship as M'gann steered it out of the hangar.

"Nothing," said Naruto softly as he flipped his mask and eye patch back into place, "Nothing at all."

"Kind of like what you told us," muttered Wally. Naruto scowled at him and leaned back in his seat.

The following hours were spent in silence as the ship flew towards India. Nothing was exchanged except for angry glances at Naruto and, to a lesser degree, Kaldur. Only Captain Marvel seemed oblivious to the tension on the ship and would occasionally make small talk with individual members of the team.

Finally, M'gann cleared her throat. "Approaching Batman's coordinates," she announced. A hole formed in the floor of the ship and Robin and Artemis hopped out, their weapons ready in case of an attack. When they had secured the area, M'gann landed the ship and the rest of the team walked out.

"Switch to stealth," ordered Naruto, "Let's go over a plan."

"Plan?" Wally sneered as he tapped his emblem and his suit morphed to black, "We don't need no stinking plans."

"It's recon," muttered Robin angrily as he turned away, "We know what to do." Robin ran off into the jungle with Wally behind him.

"Kid, Robin!" started Kaldur, but Robin swiveled and scolded him before he could continue.

"The three of us started this team because the League was keeping secrets from us!" he hissed.

"Or did you and Naruto forget that?" asked Wally as he lowered his goggles over his eyes and ran into the shadows with Robin.

Naruto sighed and stretched his arm. "Okay, so they're gone. The rest of us will have to make do. I was thinking Ms. Martian and Artemis could-"

"Save it," snapped Artemis, "If you don't trust us, we don't trust you." She stormed off into the jungle. M'gann flew after her and spared a glance back at Naruto before disappearing into the foliage.

"Why didn't you stop them?!" demanded Connor, "You're supposed to be in charge!"

Naruto gapped at him. "You're kidding me, right? After all that undermining of my authority, you're seriously going to hold me responsible?" Connor rolled his eyes and shoved his palm in Naruto's face before launching himself into the night sky.

Naruto glared after him as Kaldur and Captain Marvel walked up behind him. "Um, I'm sorry," said Captain Marvel, "Did I miss the part where you told us the plan?"

Naruto sighed and started walking off into the jungle. "Look at us," he muttered as Kaldur and Captain Marvel followed him, "The band of rejects. Boy, this brings back memories."

"I'm not a reject," retorted Captain Marvel.

"Really? I assumed you pulled the short straw."

"No! I volunteered!"

"That makes one of us." Naruto brushed aside a bush as he stepped over a small brook. "Stupid team. I was just trying to look out for them without endangering them at the same time."

"If it is any consolation," said Kaldur, "I doubt I would have done things differently. Your logic was sound; it only succumbed to human error."

"What are we looking for, anyway?" asked Captain Marvel.

"A sign of a struggle," sighed Naruto, "That would mark unusual animal activity."

"Oh, so like that over there?" Naruto glanced to where the Captain was pointing. A few yards over was a large clearing. Clearly, large tufts of grass had been uprooted violently and clawed tracks marred the ground.

"Exactly," breathed Naruto as he walked into the clearing, "Good eyes, Cap'n."

"This must be where Mayor Hill was attacked," said Kaldur as he knelt down to examine the tracks.

"Then at least we can confirm his story," agreed Captain Marvel, "Right, Shinobi?" Naruto was gazing into the stars above. "Shinobi?"

Naruto blinked and looked down. "Sorry, just thinking to myself he said softly."

_When I was a kid, all I wanted was to be Hokage. Now that I'm actually a leader, I don't know if I would've made a very good one. Maybe it was best that I left my world before I could formally take up the position._

"**Kit, in any other situation, I'm sure I would have some sage advice or something,**" called Kurama, "**But right now, all I can think about is some unbridled anger and pain coming from the west like a couple of tanks!**"

Naruto crouched down and snarled. "Get ready," he said aloud, "We're under attack!" Kaldur and Captain Marvel quickly stood with him as the ground began to shake under massive footsteps. A thicket of trees on the far side of the clearing split apart as a massive, grey beast tore through it. It had tusks the size of steel beams and a trunk that hung down to its knees. Small horns poked out of its head, a good twenty feet off the ground. Its muscles were defined and sinew bulged under its skin to the point of tearing it. The beast trumpeted loudly as it charged and the three heroes scattered as it blew by them.

"That," said Captain Marvel as he flew up into the air, "Is one big elephant."

"That can't be natural," said Naruto, his eye narrowing, "Must be genetically modified."

"It looks like it has been infused with the Kobra Venom from Santa Prisca," noted Kaldur as he drew his water bearers. The elephant circled around and charged once more. Captain Marvel flew at it head on, ramming into its thick skull. The beast grabbed him with its trunk and tossed him through a tree with ease.

"Aqualad!" called Naruto as he ran to the side of the beast, "Maneuver seventeen!" Kaldur nodded and Naruto formed a clone as he ran. Kaldur made long water whips with his bearers and ran to the far side of the beast, getting its attention with his painful attacks. "Now!" shouted Naruto and Kaldur abruptly charged the elephant. The elephant lowered its tusks to meet him, but Kaldur slid under the animal. As he crossed under it and ran past Naruto, he deposited one of his water whips into Naruto's Rasengan. "Collaboration Ninjutsu!" called Naruto as he launched the attack, "Typhoon Water Vortex!" The swirling Rasengan combined with the water spun outwards to create a wall of spinning water tornados that slammed against the elephant and knocked it on its side with a painful trumpet.

"What's that?" asked Kaldur, pointing to the animal's neck. Naruto looked over and gasped as he saw the sparking metal around its throat.

"Collars!" he said, "The same kind they used at Belle Reve! These things are being controlled!" There was a roar and they turned to see Captain Marvel grappling with the tusks of another massive elephant. There was a loud snort and the elephant they were fighting slowly got back up. "Go help the Captain!" shouted Naruto as he made twin shadow clones, "I got this one!" Kaldur nodded and jumped back as Naruto's shadow clones charged forwards.

The elephant's small, beady eyes glanced back and forth between them in confusion. Clearly it had never seen three of the same person before. It took about five seconds to recover from its surprise and process that it was under attack. That was two more seconds than Naruto needed. He jumped up and his clones propelled him into the elephant's neck. He gripped the collar and focused for a moment, pumping demonic charka through his arms. His eye became red and his pupil dilated as he ripped off the metal choker.

He fell to the ground, the broken collar lying in pieces around him. The elephant gazed down at him in appreciative confusion. It slowly sauntered off back into the jungle, quickly joined by its brother. Kaldur and Captain Marvel walked up behind Naruto as they watched them leave. "Any trouble?" he asked, cutting off the flow of Kurama's chakra.

"None," replied Kaldur, "But the collars indicate an intelligence behind this attack. The rest of the team may also be at risk."

"Agreed," nodded Naruto, "This is no longer a simple recon mission." He brought a finger to his ear and activated his communicator. "Team? Come in." A harsh burst of static filled his ear and he winced as he killed the line. "Comms are down," he grunted, "And Ms. Martian didn't link us up before she left."

"Actually," Captain Marvel raised an eyebrow and smirked, "You let everyone leave before communications were set."

"They wouldn't listen!" protested Naruto, "How am I supposed to lead people who don't want me as their leader?"

"I don't know," shrugged Captain Marvel, "But back at the Cave, Batman stopped everyone from arguing with one word."

"I'm not Batman," huffed Naruto.

"Batman takes command," Kaldur pointed out, "He has too, for the good of the League."

"It's hard to take something from people who don't want you to have it," grunted Naruto. He looked to the stars once more and traced the constellations Kent had taught him. _I wonder if this is how Danzo felt. Thinking he knew what was best for the village and being unable to implement his plans because nobody trusted him._

"**The old man was a warmonger,**" grunted Kurama, "**He didn't want to protect Konoha, he wanted Konoha to rule the world. He had delusions of grandeur and the people around him paid the price.**"

_And how am I any different?_

"**You keep your secrets to protect your comrades, not to control them. Hang on, incoming call from green girl.**"

_Patch her through._

"_Shinobi, can you hear me?_" Naruto glanced at Kaldur and saw he was receiving M'gann's telepathic message too.

"_Go ahead, Ms. Maritan._"

"_Artemis and I were attacked by animals wearing inhibitor collars._"

"Cool! A tiger!" Naruto turned to see Captain Marvel float into the air and give him a wide grin, "I'll be right back!"

"Captain, wait!" hissed Naruto as the hero shot off into a field of tall grass.

"He has the speed of Mercury," said Kaldur solemnly, "We have no chance of catching him."

"Doesn't mean we shouldn't try," muttered Naruto in frustration as he launched himself into the grass, Kaldur following him closely. "_Ms. Martian, link up the team. Now._"

"_Link established_," confirmed M'gann.

"_Should he really still be giving us orders?_" complained Artemis, "_And should you really be following them?_"

"_Shut up,_" Naruto grunted as he vaulted over a boulder, "_Listen, I-_"

"_Oh, Naruto's voice in my head,_" Wally butted in, "_I soooo missed that._"

"_Naruto, K.F. and I were attacked by giant vultures,_" Robin reported, "_'Course since we're moles, you probably think we attacked ourselves._"

"_Please,_" Kaldur pleaded, "_Let us focus on the matters at hand._"

"_Superboy, you online, or are you just pouting?_" called M'gann.

"_Later,_" replied Connor tersely, "_Busy now._"

"_What get's me is how nonchalant they are,_" ranted Wally.

"_They should totally be chalant,_" agreed Robin. Naruto rolled his eyes as he brushed aside a large palm frond and entered a clearing. In the middle, three metal stakes protruded from the earth, each cackling with electricity. Captian Marvel was nowhere to be seen, but distinctive drag marks showed where his body had been carried off into the jungle. Kaldur examined the metal spikes as the rest of the team continued to debate across their mental link.

"_How can we trust him to lead us if he doesn't even trust us with his secrets?_" Naruto's eye narrowed.

"_Trust is a two-way street!_" He closed his eye and breathed deeply."

"_Did he really think you or I could have been the mole? We've been heroes for years!"_ Naruto growled low and soft, an animalistic sound that made Kaldur glance up at him in concern.

"_None of us would've kept it a secret._"

"_I think it's safe to say that this team-_"

"_Enough!_" Naruto's mental voice split into their minds as he punched the nearest metal spike, splintering it into two and making it explode with electric light, "_In case you forgot, I never wanted to lead this team in the first place! You elected me to be in charge and I have done everything in my power to keep this team safe. You disagree with my methods? Fine. You want me to step down? Even better. But right now, we are on a mission and Captain Marvel just got himself captured. So, until further notice, I _am_ you leader._"

"_After all that's happened?_" scoffed Wally, "_I don't think-_"

"_I'm sorry,_" Naruto interrupted, "_You seem to be under the impression that I'm giving you a choice in the matter. Any more stupid comments before we get it together and act like a team again?_" Silence reigned supreme and Naruto hummed in satisfaction. "_Good. Rendezvous with Kaldur's GPS signal. We'll track down the Captain, you track down us. Got it?_"

There were affirmative answers across the board and Naruto started to follow the tracks. Kaldur smiled with a broad smile. "That is the Shinobi I know," he said as they walked into the jungle.

Kurama chuckled heartily and Naruto scowled. _What's got you in such a good mood?_

"**Nothing, just…I think a lot of people would be proud if they could see you right now.**" Images flashed in Naruto's mind of an old woman who looked far younger than she was, a grinning man with red marks on his face and wild white hair, and a happy young couple holding hands.

_I hope so, furball,_ he replied gently, _I hope so_.

. . .

It took about ten minutes to follow the tracks to a thinly veiled metal compound in the middle of the jungle. Naruto and Kaldur waited patiently for the rest of the team to arrive and formulate a quick plan as they hid in the foliage a distance away from the base.

"_I'll fly over,_" offered M'gann as she entered camoflouge mode.

"_Negatory,_" said Wally quickly, "_Goggles are showing an electro-magnetic dome over the whole compound_."

"_A solid electric shock could cause a momentary gap,_" Robin calculated.

"_I see a target,_" reported Artemis, "_Fuse box right by the main door. If someone could cut the right wires, the whole compound could go dark._"

Naruto squinted at the door. "_Artemis, toss me an arrow._" A green shaft flipped from behind a nearby bush and Naruto caught it deftly. He held it in his hand and wrapped his fingers around it as he concentrated. As he unwrapped his hand from it, black markings formed on the shaft of the arrow, a Hiraishin Formula. He tossed the arrow back and nodded to Kaldur.

The Atlantean slid down to the base of the dome and activated his mystic tattoos. He grabbed the dome and ripped it, electricity spiraling up and down his arms. "_Now!_" called Wally and Artemis loosed her arrow. Naruto traced it through the dome and Hiraishined to it, catching it before it stuck the fuse box.

"_Need to know which wires to cut?_" asked Robin.

"_Nah,_" Naruto drew a kunai and pushed his mask to the side, flipping up his eye patch in the process, "_I got this covered._" His Sharingan blazed as he opened the fuse box and took in the wires. They were crossed and mingled together, but his eye followed each line individually checking where they connected too across the compound. With a few quick strokes, he slashed through the right wires. "_We're clear. Move in,_" he reported as he flipped his mask and eye patch back.

The team quickly and silently raced across the clearing towards the compound. Suddenly, there was a wild screech and everyone's heart skipped a beat. "Impossible!" Naruto hissed, "I cut only the right wires!"

Robin pointed above the compound. "Monkey!" Indeed, a solitary ape glared down at the team, a collar wrapped tightly around its neck as it screeched to the heavens. An alarm went off within the compound and a swarm of baboons began to clamber over the roof with angry cries and bared teeth.

"Remove the collars!" ordered Naruto as he grabbed two monkeys by the tail and threw them across the clearing.

"You make it sound so easy!" grunted Robin as he fought off two more. The team dove through the herd of baboons, ripping and tearing away the metal bracers.

"Shinobi!" Naruto glanced over to where M'gann was pointing and his eye widened. Two massive creatures had stepped out of the main doors of the bunker. One was the gorilla he and Connor had encountered in France. He looked incredibly angry and was dressed to the nines in an armory of weapons. Ammo belts crossed across his chest and wrapped around his arms like warmers. He slung a massive gatling gun from over his shoulder and looked ready for battle. But Naruto didn't care. A gorilla with a big gun? Psssh, he could handle that in his sleep.

No, what caught Naruto's attention was the second creature that limped out behind the ape version of Rambo. It was a giant of a gorilla, about the size of a normal elephant, with orange-red fur covering its body. Four thick tails flicked nervously behind it as it stepped into the moonlight. "Son," breathed Naruto in horror, "What did they do to you?" The four-tailed gorilla's beautiful hide was ripped and torn by deep gashes and small spikes erupted randomly across his body. His tusks were twisted and warped and the twin horns that grew from his forehead, his brow in which he had taken such pride, was bent in a horribly unnatural angle, like they had been used as levers to rip the gorilla's skull apart.

M'gann drifted down next to Naruto. "What do we do?" she whispered to him.

"Get inside the compound," he said firmly, "I'll handle Son." She nodded and entered camouflage mode as she flew off. Son scanned the battlefield until his eyes fell on Naruto. When he saw him, the giant ape roared. The ground shook from the force of his scream and he stood on his hind legs, beating his chest in dominance. His knuckles hit the ground and he wasted no time in his charge. Naruto scowled as he crouched down and launched himself at the waiting gorilla. "Make it look good, Son," he muttered as the gorilla roared, opening its massive jaws to accommodate Naruto into its mouth.

"Shinobi!" screamed M'gann as Son closed his jaws. Naruto blinked and found himself in a world of white, the plane of existence only Bijuu and Jinchuriki could access. Kurama sat on his haunches behind him and Son stood before them, his head hung as he tried to hide his scared face.

"**Master**," he greeted softly.

"Son," Naruto stepped forwards and carefully lay a hand on Son's forearm, "I'm so sorry."

"**The scientists**," Son said as he shirked away from Naruto's touch, "**They asked for volunteers. I needed to earn their trust. They…they called it Kobra Venom. They only told me it was permanent after my transformation**."

Naruto fell to his knees and hugged Son's arm. "The others," he whispered, "Are they-"

"**They are safe.**"

"Good," Naruto rubbed one of Son's cuts and clenched his fists, "I swear, they will pay for this."

"**At least they were kind enough to ask for volunteers.**"

"Then why did you say yes?" murmured Naruto, "Why did you take the risk just to gain their trust?"

Son knelt down and rested his head on his hand so his massive head was just above Naruto's eye level. "**Because they're the bad guys,**" he said firmly, "**And we're the good guys.**"

Naruto smiled and patted Son. "I taught you well."

Son snorted. "**And so humble too, sensei.**"

"Do you have any news?"

"**Yes. Besides testing the Kobra Venom on me, the scientists were also testing its effects on plant life.**"

"Why would they want to inject immobile plants with mega-steroids?"

"**I don't know yet. Saiken and Kokuo were moved a few weeks ago to a facility in Asia. Isobu was taken the other day, but I don't know where they took him.**"

"**Isobu has one of the strongest defenses**," said Kurama with a nod, "**Second only to Shukaku. He can handle himself for now. If he or any of you need help, we'll be there.**"

Naruto stepped back and gazed up proudly at his student. "Take care of yourself, okay? I'd rather be completely ignorant of what our enemies are up to and have you safe and sound than knew everything about them and lose you."

"**Of course, sensei.**"

Kurama grunted and extended his fist. "**Stay strong, little nephew,**" he growled affectionately, "**Your father would be proud.**" Son managed a small smile and pounded his fist against Kurama's.

"We have to go back," said Naruto with a sigh, "Make it look good, okay? And go easy with the lava; M'gann's weak against fire." Naruto pushed out his own fist and Son nodded in understanding as he brought his own down to Naruto's. As their fists met, Son spat out Naruto from his mouth and they all exited the mental plane. As Naruto flew out of his mouth, he spun in the air and landed with a crouch.

"Shinobi!" shouted M'gann as she saw Naruto She flew in front of him and blasted Son with her telekinesis. He flew like cannon into the compound and the wall collapsed under him. "Are you okay?" she asked in concern as Naruto brushed a glop of gorilla spit off his shoulder.

"I'm fine. Everyone inside!" The team quickly ran inside as Son recovered from M'gann's attack. They entered a large, dark room where Captain Marvel was strapped to an operating table with a collar around his neck. Near him was a droid of sorts. It looked like a high-tech trashcan with a brain poking out of the top.

Wally gasped. "It's the Brain!"

"No duh!" said Artemis as she drew an arrow

"In ze flesh," the trashcan slid forward over the ground as Son and the Rambo gorilla stood behind him, "So to speak." The voice was thick with a French accent, but metallic and somewhat monotonous. "Son." The four-tailed gorilla snorted and steam rushed out of his nose. His mouth opened and lava spewed forth, immediately making the room feel like a furnace. "I believe several of your comrades are susceptible to heat, _mais non_?" said the Brain as Son's lava began to creep forwards. M'gann fell to the ground and leaned on Naruto for support. Her skin felt clammy and sweat beaded down her temple.

Naruto smirked. "_Superboy! Now!_" The wall behind the Brain imploded with a burst of dust and rubble. As the dust cleared, Connor stepped through the new hole. His shirt was ripped and he stood in front of a small pack of massive, enhanced wolves. A particularly large white wolf crouched next to him, his fangs bared.

The wolves fell on Son and the other gorilla, their teeth mashing. Brain back up and began firing lasers from his metallic body. Kaldur and Connor leapt in front of the others to guard them while Wally freed Captain Marvel. Robin and Artemis jumped over Connor and shot their respective projectiles into the backs of the two gorillas. Both suddenly convulsed with electricity and fell to the ground in pain. The Brain backed up between them as they struggled to their feet. The wolf pack stepped back, but growled in rage at their enemies.

Son roared in pain and anger as he saw he was surrounded. "Try it," challenged Connor, cracking his knuckles, "I hate monkeys."

"No, Son," sighed the Brain with a rush of static, "Zis vill not be our vaterloo." Lights began to flash all over his body and various panels unfurled from it. A humming sound filled the air and it grew in intensity as the two gorillas moved closer to the Brain.

"Get down!" shouted Wally as the humming reached its peak.

"_Au revoir, mes amis,_" said the Brain as all of the lights abruptly shut off. Nothing happened for a moment until the emergency lights kicked in, revealing nothing where the brain and his two gorilla henchmen had just stood.

"Wait," Wally stood up, "That huge weapon thing was…a light switch?"

"**I can't sense them, kit,**" grumbled Kurama, "**They're gone.**"

_For better or worse._

"**I have feeling it's going to be worse.**"

. . .

M'gann called the Bioship to the compound so they didn't have to walk far. She was still a bit woozy from the sudden rise in temperature from Son's lava. "I thought he was on our side," she muttered as she leaned on Naruto.

"He is," he said, "We just had to make it look real. Trust me, if he really wanted to hurt us, he'd have gone hotter."

Captain Marvel was speaking with a tiger, and although that sounded like the beginning of a bad joke, they were discussing serious matters. "So there are no more collars?" The tiger growled in response. "And I can count on you to keep the other animals out of trouble?" The tiger roared, as if upset the Captain doubted his abilities. "Good," said the captain, "I'll be back for a visit, I promise." He stood up and the tiger walked into the forest. "I think I'll call him Mr. Twany," said the Captain wistfully.

Naruto smiled. "Good name, kid." Captain Marvel gave him a funny glance before Naruto walked over to where Connor and Wally were patting down the white wolf

"The rest of the pack is gone," said Connor as the wolf tucked his head into the clone's shoulder, "So why is this one sticking around?"

"I think he likes you," said Wally. He attempted to pat the wolf, but he swiveled his head and growled threateningly at the speedster.

"Can I keep him?" asked Connor eagerly.

Naruto shrugged. "Sure, but you have to feed and walk him."

"I promise!" Naruto rolled his eye and walked towards the Bioship. Robin was standing in the door and stopped him as he passed.

"Look, I have to know," he said, "Why did you keep the mole intel a secret?" The clearing became hushed as all eyes turned to Naruto.

He paused and took off his mask before facing his team. "I had three sources about the mole," he said, "The first was potentially faulty, so I ignored it. The second source was Sportsmaster."

"What?!"Artemis exclaimed, "You can't trust him!"

"I didn't," said Naruto dryly, "I thought it was probably just a ploy to divide the team."

"Given how this mission went, he nearly succeeded," muttered Robin.

"The third source was one I trust," Naruto continued, "But Saiken…he isn't, um, all there," he tapped his head to show what he meant.

"So with three different sources, at least one of which you knew was reliable, you still withheld the information from us?" demanded Connor.

"No," said Naruto simply, "I may have believed there was a mole at the start, but I quickly realized that none of you were traitors." He looked around and met the eyes of every member of the team. "I have fought by your sides," he said, "Trained with you, worked with you. This team has saved lives by working together. I just had to remind myself of that and I knew none of you would turn on us."

"So you did trust us," murmured Wally.

"But then why did you train so hard these last few weeks?" asked Robin.

Naruto shrugged. "I knew nobody on the team was a mole, but I also knew there was a leak somewhere. I was preparing myself for a confrontation with the true traitor without risking letting them know I was aware of their existence."

"So then Red Tornado-"

"Caught me totally by surprise," said Naruto, "I'd already ruled him out as a possible traitor. A detective, I am not. But I don't have to be." He smiled at Robin. "That's your job."

"So you really were just looking out for us," said Artemis, "I hate to say it guys, but that makes sense."

"But then, why did Kaldur keep quiet about it?" asked Wally.

Kaldur shrugged. "It was I who conveyed Sportsmaster's tip to Naruto. He told me that letting you know about it would only further his plan to cause dissent."

"Thus splitting us apart," Robin nodded thoughtfully, "Good call."

"I'm still ready to step down," said Naruto, "Who wants my job?"

There was a brief pause before Wally piped up. "All in favor of keeping Shinobi as our leader?"

The entire team lifted their hands in support and Naruto glowered at all of them as he put his mask back on. "You guys really hate me, don't you," he muttered as they filed into the Bioship. Captain Marvel floated up into the air. "Not coming?"

"Nah," said the Captain, "Gotta stretch my wings, in a manner of speaking." He shot off over the horizon towards the rising sun and disappeared.

M'gann waited until the rest of the team was aboard the Bioship before approaching Naruto. "So," he said nervously, "Are we cool?"

"Well," she sighed, "You kept something big from me, and that still hurts. But you were only doing it to keep our friends from falling apart, so I guess it was worth it. Still, the last day has been hectic to say the least and it's ultimately your fault."

"So the final verdict is?"

M'gann smirked. "I believe you owe me a date, _leader_."

. . .

Thanks for the reviews! Keep 'em coming!

For those who didn't pick up on it, the Collaboration Jutsu Naruto and Kaldur use is the same one he and Yamato use when they enter the fight against Hidan and Kakuzu.


	15. Revelations

Same disclaimers and italics as before.

Chapter 15: Revelations

"Are you sure you're going to be safe?" Naruto asked as he gazed up at Shukaku. The horse-sized raccoon gently lay his rough head down in the silky sand of the Sahara Desert.

"**Relax, boss**," he yawned, "**I feel kinda at home here**."

"Alright then," said Naruto as he backed away from his student, "Dinner at the Tower every seventh night, okay?"

"**Sure** **thing**," said Shukaku as he nuzzled deeper into the sand bank.

"And if some you have an opportunity to help someone?"

"**Help them without revealing myself**," groaned Shuaku, "**I get it. Don't worry, boss. I won't let you down.**"

"Good, good," nodded Naruto, "You've been a wonderful student, Shukaku."

The Bijuu rolled his eyes. "**Quit while you're ahead boss, you're starting to get mushy on me.**"

Naruto smiled and blinked back a tear. "See you on Sunday," he said as he walked back to the Bioship. The inside was a pleasant cool contrast to the harsh desert sun.

"Is he going to be alright out here in the desert?" asked M'gann as Naruto took his seat at the helm.

"He'll be alright," said Naruto as she took off into the air, "In my world, he was known as the Shukaku Sand Spirit. The desert is his natural habitat." He glanced back at her as she veered west back towards the Atlantic. "Thanks for helping me disperse the Bijuu."

"No problem. I always wanted to see the Himalayas, but are you certain Matatabi will be safe in such a cold environment? She is made of fire after all."

"Her predecessor spent many generations in Kumogakure, the Village Hidden in the Clouds," explained Naruto, "I figured she'd be comfortable in a mountainous region. Besides, with all the climbing disasters that happen in those mountains every year, they need a permanent protector."

"What about Gyuki?"

"I asked Kaldur to take him to Atlantis," said Naruto, "He'll learn how to save lives in the sea from the Atlantean Royal Guard."

"And the other one? What was his name?"

"Chomei," Naruto nodded, "I'm keeping him in the Tower for now. I don't want him to leave until he's undergone his metamorphosis."

"Smart," agreed M'gann, "You really care for them, don't you?"

Naruto smiled as he patted his stomach. "I made a promise to their parents," he said, "And I always keep my word."

"Not to mention they were born from your chakra," M'gann raised an eyebrow playfully, "Technically speaking, they're your kids."

Naruto smirked. "Hah! They wish. The Uzumaki clan was known for its longevity and powerful life force."

"You had a clan?"

"Sorta. Years before I was born, my clan was scattered across my homeworld."

"Oh," M'gann shirked back in her chair, "I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Naruto waved her sympathy off, "I never really knew my family."

"You must have had it rough growing up."

Naruto laughed and laced his hands behind his head. "You don't know the half of it."

"You know," said M'gann after a second, "I think it's morning on the east coast."

Naruto smiled and glanced back at her as he picked up her subtle nuances. "I hear Newport is nice this time of year. What do you say you and I check out the Cliff Walk and grab some breakfast?"

"Sounds like a few hundred miles out of our way," M'gann smirked, "You buying?"

"Wouldn't be a date if I didn't."

"Then why not." The Bioship tilted slightly as the black shadow of the coastline appeared in the distance.

"That was fast," Naruto frowned and leaned forwards in his seat, "We just left Africa!"

"Of course," M'gann rubbed the glowing spheres that she used to control the Bioship affectionately, "She's pushing mach 4."

Naruto narrowed his eye at the horizon and stared into the distance. "Something's wrong," he muttered to himself as he reached for his eye patch, "It's too fuzzy, too big." His Sharingan blazed as he lifted his patch and took in the coastline, still several hundred miles out. "M'gann?" he said softly, "We're doing mach 4, right?"

"Close. The Bioship re-pressurizes the cabin and regulated gravity so we don't feel it."

"Can we make that mach 5?"

"If I really pushed her. Why?"

"Because there's a smoke cloud forming over Providence," Naruto flipped his patch down and grabbed his mask from the seat next to him, "I'm gonna need a rain date on the breakfast date, babe."

The Bioship picked up speed and barrel rolled over Providence. Several black clouds were leaking from flaming buildings across the city, adding to and building up a massive, singular black cloud that roiled over most the skyline. As M'gann steered the ship over midtown, they saw the source of the chaos. A massive, green plant had erupted from Market Street and was flailing thick vines over the surrounding buildings. Giant flowers grew from it, grabbing cars and people and flinging them every which way. Fires came from crashed cars and apartments where residents had left before turning off the stove.

"**Panic everywhere, kit,**" purred Kurama, "**Oh, it reminds me of my youth.**"

"The heck is that thing?" muttered Naruto as M'gann circled the plant, barely dodging around flicking vines.

"No clue," she said as she set the Bioship down on a rooftop of an office building a few blocks away from the plant. Naruto slid out of his seat and ran out of the ship with M'gann right behind him. "We have a plan?"

"Naturally," said Naruto as he formed five Shadow Clones, "Three of you find the highest point in the city," he told them, "Use Wind Style to try and disperse that cloud. M'gann, use the plant as an epicenter and spiral outwards, block by block. Try and find a way to put out the fires and maintain order. The last thing we need is rioters and panic out here."

Three of the clones nodded and began scanning the sky for the tallest buildings. M'gann drifted into the air. "And what are you three going to do?"

"What do you think?" smirked Naruto, "We'll take care of the plant." The clones drew a pair of tri-pronged kunai and tossed them across the street to the roof of the next building. They Hiraishined to their kunai and ran to the edge to look down on the plant. Naruto sat down and focused his chakra to synchronize with the natural energy around him.

"Look out!" shouted a clone as he dragged Naruto to the side. A massive vine slammed into the building where they had been and the roof collapsed. One of the clones was hit by rubble and dispersed while Naruto and the other clone leapt off the roof. Naruto tossed a kunai into a nearby building and he and the clone Hiraishined to it, sticking to the wall with chakra.

"Weird," Naruto frowned. He began to focus his chakra once more, but spun out of the way of a tentacle that stabbed into the wall next to him.

"It can sense the manipulation of natural energy!" shouted the clone, "We can't enter Sage Mode!"

Naruto grimaced. "Without Sage Mode, we can't throw Rasenshuriken."

"So what do we do? Amaterasu?"

"No," Naruto bent down and drew another kunai, "It'll take too long. By the time it's gone, that thing will burn down half the city."

"Good thing we have other options, right?"

"Right," Naruto flipped through hand signs, "Shadow Strangle Jutsu!" With a grunt of effort, Naruto's shadow shot out from under him and slid down the building and into the street. It wrapped forcefully around the massive stalk and twisted through the vines, quickly restricting it's movements. "It's fighting me!" grunted Naruto.

"That's kind of the point, isn't it?" said his clone as he darted forwards with his kunai drawn. As he reached the base of the building, he launched himself off of it, his body spinning rapidly with his kunai thrust forwards. "Single Fang!" he shouted as he ripped through the base of the plant and tore through the other side. The plant creaked as it slowly tipped over and fell into the street. The clone dispersed and Naruto retracted his shadow. Above, the massive smoke cloud was swirling from the force of his clones' jutsu and was being pushed high into sky.

"At least they got their Rasenshuriken working," Naruto grumbled as he dropped to the ground.

M'gann flew around the corner and landed next to him. "Local authorities are taking care of most of the fires," she said, "There were a few cars I had to turn right-side up, but that was pretty much it. Any problems here?"

"A few," Naruto stared thoughtfully at the fallen plant, "But I managed."

There was a beeping in his ear and he raised a hand to his communicator. "Batman to Shinobi and Ms. Martian."

"We're here, Batman."

"Get to the Cave. Now."

"On our way," Naruto nodded to M'gann and she raised her hand, lifting him into the air with her telekinesis. Together, they flew towards the Bioship and ran inside.

"What do you think the problem is?" M'gann asked as she slipped into the pilot's seat.

Naruto breathed in deeply as they rose and shot off into the sky. He closed his eyes and focused his chakra network. As they flew overhead, he felt his clones disperse on a building below them and he absorbed their energy and, more importantly, his Sage Mode. The familiar orange coloring appeared over his eye and he reached out to the world around him. Sage Mode allowed him to sense natural energy and he frowned as he felt the state of the globe.

"This isn't an isolated incident," he said, "I'm sensing massive spikes of natural energy around the world."

"So getting to the cave would be important then?"

"Very. How fast can we get back up to mach 5?"

M'gann smirked and grabbed the steering orbs forcefully. "Hang on, I won't have time to properly calculate the gravity difference."

"The gravity what now?" The Bioship entered speeds that would put hypersonic jets to shame in the amount of time it takes an average person to blink. The force of gravity within the cabin quadrupled almost instantaneously and Naruto's mask flew off from the sudden increase in pressure. He made the mistake of crying out and his cheeks rippled from the force. M'gann laughed behind him, her malleable body making her almost completely immune to the increase of gravity.

Luckily, their trip was short lived. At mach 5, it took only seconds to travel from Providence to Happy Harbor. "That was fun!" giggled M'gann as she swung into the hangar, "We should do it again sometime."

Naruto stumbled out of his seat and scooped up his mask. His face felt like it had just been wrapped in duct tape and then suddenly ripped away. "If you ever do that again," he groaned as he fixed his mask on his head, "I swear, I'll try and feed you to Wolf."

"Speak of the devil and he shall appear," Naruto looked up as he shambled out of the ship to see Connor grinning as he petted the giant white wolf, "So, where have you two been? Out on the town?"

"Oh, quiet you," grunted Naruto. Connor just grinned and motioned for them to follow. In the Cave's main hall, the rest of the team, Batman, and Captain Marvel were assembled around the hologram screens that showed various decapitated plants around the world.

"Glad you could make it," said Batman in a monotone, "I'd catch you up to speed, but we saw your fight in Providence. Good work. Similar plants are going wild in Metropolis, Taipei, Paris, and London, but the League is dealing with them."

"So do you want us to join you or what?" asked Wally.

Batman brought up an image of Sportsmaster. "According to your intel, Sportsmaster provided the Blockbuster formula to Kobra."

"Who combined it with Venom to make Kobra Venom," finished Robin, "So?"

Naruto slapped his face. "Of course," he muttered, "How could I be so blind? One of my contacts within the League of Shadows informed me they were working on Kobra Venom and plants. This must be the result."

"The Brain also used Kobra Venom to upgrade Wolf and his animal army," added Connor, scratching his pet between the ears.

"Not to mention the inhibitor collars also used at Belle Reve," muttered Artemis thoughtfully, "Batman, did the plants…?"

"Yes," confirmed the dark knight with a nod, "They contained traces of a Kobra Venom variant."

"These cannot be coincidences," said Kaldur firmly, "Super villains are cooperating with one another world wide."

"Good analysis," nodded Naruto with a smile, "Batman?"

"Indeed. It appears our enemies have learned what we did long ago; strength in numbers." Suddenly, all the screens erupted into static.

"Dude!" muttered Wally as Robin began to hack the system with his wrist computer.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed, "Something's taken over the satellite! All the satellites!"

The screens focused, each one showing the same simultaneous image of a grinning, pasty white face. The man on the screen knocked his knuckles against the camera, as if to get his audience's attention. "Ladies and gentlemen," he rasped, "We interrupt your regularly scheduled reality shows and romance triangles to bring you this important announcement." The camera swiveled to reveal a group of people in colorful costumes standing together.

"We are the Injustice League," said one of them in a thick, eastern European accent, "We are responsible for the attacks on your cities. If you wish to save them, a ransom of ten billion dollars American are required. Delivery instructions have been sent to the United Nations. There is no time limit, however," a cruel grin grew across the man's face, "The longer you wait…"

The camera swiveled back to the grinning white man "The more we get to have our jollies!" he giggled before bursting into a cackling laughter.

The feed was cut and Batman began speaking into his communicator. Robin restarted his hack and replayed the video message. "Count Vertigo, the Joker, Black Adam, Poison Ivy, Atomic Skull, the Ultra-Humanite, Wo-Tan?! Seven heavy hitters! Probably behind nearly everything we've faced."

"There's your secret society," muttered Wally as he folded his arms.

"Interesting," Naruto approached the screens and glanced back and forth between the villains, "So why reveal themselves now?"

"Perhaps after India they realized we were getting to close and decided to play their hand early," shrugged Kaldur.

"Does it matter?" asked Artemis, "They're out in the open now; we know who we're dealing with."

"For now, our duty is to the people," argued M'gann. Naruto felt no small twinge of pride at his girlfriend for her sympathy. "We have to defend them from the plants."

"The League will handle the plants," said Batman, "I have a different job for this team."

"Aw man," groaned Wally.

Artemis rolled her eyes and slapped him on the shoulder. "Moron! If the League's fighting the plants, who do you think we're fighting?!"

"I don't know!" responded Wally angrily, "I guess…" Light dawned on marble head as Wally glanced at the screen. "Ooooohhhh. Cool!"

"With so many plants being manipulated world wide," continued Batman, "There must be a central command center where these seven are manipulating the plants."

The Zeta Tube activated and Zatara stepped out. He gazed over the team with a grimace and turned to Batman. "Are you sure about this?"

"They're ready," nodded Batman, "Can you track them down?"

"Indeed," sighed Zatara, "If Wo-Tan is involved, then there must be significant magical energy surrounding the central control. I can narrow it down to a specific region, but it'll be give or take a few hundred miles."

"I can guide it from there," Naruto put forth, "These plants are manipulated through natural energy, the same power source as my Sage Mode." He took off his mask to reveal the orange pigmentation. "If you can narrow the field, I can find where the natural energy is fluctuating."

"Clever," grinned Captain Marvel.

Zatara nodded and Robin drew up a holographic globe. Zatara lifted his hands and recited a quick incantation. As the globe spun, a wide, orange circle appeared over the southern United States. Naruto closed his eye and reached out. "There's a plant in Tampa," he said, "But there's also one in the Louisiana Bayou. It's different from the others…it's producing its own energy." His eye snapped open and he donned his mask as he left Sage Mode. "That's where we'll find them."

"Very well," said Batman, "The League will make its presence known around the world to distract them while you disable their controls."

"You heard the man," barked Naruto as he cracked his neck, "To the Bioship! And M'gann! Calibrate the gravity what's it this time!"

As they entered the Bioship, Batman beeped through their communicators. "Approach the enemy, but wait for my signal," he ordered, "We have to be certain that the world media recognizes that all Justice League members are responding to the plant threat."

"Understood," replied Naruto as M'gann took off.

"So," said Connor with a sly grin, "What were you guys up to last night?"

Naruto and M'gann glared at him as Wally stared at them incredulously. "You guys were…together last night?"

"M'gann was helping me running some person errands," said Naruto quickly, "Just some boring ninja stuff." Wally shrugged, apparently satisfied with this answer as Artemis rolled her eyes behind them.

For a time, they flew south in silence. "Hey, um, Naruto?" said Robin eventually, "Back in the Cave, you said you had contacts inside the League of Shadows?"

"What, you didn't know about them?" Naruto shrugged, "I thought you were supposed to be keeping tabs on me."

Robin cringed. "Sorry, Batman's orders."

"It's cool. Yeah, I have a few friends on the inside who keep me posted whenever they can. I'm a little worried though, last time I got in contact with one of them was last week and they said one of my spies had gone dark."

Robin nodded in sympathy. "Ugh. Hate it when that happens. Were you close?"

M'gann's voice from their earlier conversation ran through his mind. "_Technically speaking, they're your kids._"

"You could say that," he said softly.

They waited impatiently for hours for Batman's signal. Finally, as the sun was setting and giving off lovely hues of pink, he called them. "All clear," he said gruffly, "Move in." The team sighed in both relief and anticipation. They'd been circling Louisiana for some time, waiting for the moment to strike. "An update," added Batman, "The plants are releasing spores of Joker Venom. If you breathe it in, you'll literally laugh until you die. Be careful." It took only a few minutes to reach the massive swamplands of Bayou Bartholomew. Naruto rolled his shoulders. "Get ready."

"**Hatred up ahead, kit,**" growled Kurama, "**We're close. Um, quick question; we don't know much about the people we're fighting, right?**"

_Not really, but their names kind of give it away, right? I mean, Poison Ivy obviously has something to do with plants, the Ultra-Humanite just looked like an albino monkey, Wo-Tan's a sorcerer, and I guess the Joker is some kind of crazy clown or whatever._

"**We could take all these people in our sleep,**" Kurama grumbled unhappily, "**I know you're newfound devotion to the whole 'no killing' thing, but I have to ask again, why restrain your true power?**"

Naruto sighed mentally. _We've been over this a hundred times, Kurama._

"**Yes, yes, the 'I'm too powerful for my own good' argument. To be honest, I agreed with it in the beginning. When we were fighting at Cadmus and Santa Prisca and all those other places, we were just going up against untrained thugs and goons. It would've been irresponsible to unleash me upon them. But this is different; these people threaten the safety of the entire world. Could you beat them without going all out? Probably. Do they deserve to face the full wrath of the Nine-Tails Jinchurikki? Absolutely.**"

_It's not about whether or not they deserve it, it's about it being necessary._

"**And it is necessary!**" roared Kurama abruptly, "**Every second that passes, their plants are taking more lives and putting more people at risk! Who knows how many will die if we go in all stealth like! We need to end this now!**"

A slow smile grew across Naruto's face beneath his mask. _If I didn't know any better, furball, I'd say you actually cared about this world now._ Kurama replied with a thick and indignant huff.

Naruto cracked his neck and stood up. "Change of plans," he said, "M'gann, establish a link please."

"_Link established. What's up, Shinobi?_"

"I'm going in alone," he said aloud, "I can draw them out with a huge distraction while you guys attack them from the sky. Wait for my signal, understood?"

"_You don't intend to give any signal, do you?_" M'gann asked privately. Naruto glanced at her as the rest of the team nodded. They'd only been on a few dates and had only kissed a few times, and he wasn't even sure how to handle himself in a relationship, but she already knew him well enough to pick up on when he was withholding the truth.

Their eyes met and Naruto almost melted, as he did every time he looked into her amber eyes. She truly was beautiful, prettier than Sakura and as charming as Hinata. Even through she knew he was planning to abandon them, her face was gentle and understanding. And twisted in concentration, fear, and pain. "M'gann? What's wrong?"

"Dizzy," she murmured, "She's having trouble focusing."

Artemis blinked. "I feel fine."

"Not you, her!"

"Oh, well that clears things up," said Wally as Robin checked his shuriken.

"There's something below us," said Connor seriously, "I can hear a couple of heartbeats."

The Bioship rocked from sudden impact and M'gann screamed in pain. The roof began to crack and was ripped apart by a burly man in a black uniform with a bolt of lightning down the chest. "Superboy!" Connor shot from his seat as M'gann continued to shriek in mental pain. He grappled with the man and they fell off the Bioship into the swamp. "M'gann! Can you get us to the ground?"

She whimpered and nodded slowly as the Bioship corkscrewed gently into the swamp. "Is everyone alright?" asked Kaldur as they rose to their feet, the whole in the roof slowly closing.

"Been better," grumbled Artemis. There was a thump from the windshield and the team turned to see a massive plant wrapping itself around the ship, pulling it down deeper into the swamp.

"Everyone out!" ordered Naruto. M'gann opened a hole in the roof once more and they all scrambled out. M'gann lifted them over the plants to shallow water before dropping them and collapsing in psychic anguish. "Split up," Naruto quickly decided, "Stick with the plan and remain undercover. Engage the enemy only when nessesary. M'gann, you going to be alright?"

M'gann slowly nodded as she stood up, a single tear of pain and loss streaking down her cheek. Naruto wanted nothing more than to wipe it away, but they were on a mission, and M'gann had made it very clear on their dates that she was only his girlfriend when not in the field. "I'll be fine. The Bioship's in shock though, she'll need time to recover."

"Okay," nodded Naruto, "Let's go." The team darted off into the swamp, leaving Naruto alone.

"**Hatred at six o'clock and closing fast**." Naruto didn't turn, but drew a kunai. "**Hey, someone's trying to break into your mind.**"

_Can you handle it?_

"**Please, even the youngest of the Yamanaka clan could beat this guy.**"

"Interesting," said a voice. It was the same accent of the man who had spoken at the Injustice League's announcement. "You seem to be unaffected by my psychic headband."

"Not really," said Naruto as he turned to face the well-dressed man from the video, "Vertigo, right?"

"That's Count Vertigo to you, peasant," he spat, "And you are?"

"The name's Shinobi," said Naruto as he formed the cross shaped hand seal, "And this is a little ditty I like to call," The trees and swamp were suddenly filled with bursts of smoke. The smoke stretched for miles in every direction and rose as high as the tallest tree. "Mass Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu," said Naruto as the smoke cleared, revealing thousands upon thousands of copies of him, "Army of One Technique."

"Oh," said the man, his pasty face paling further, "Oh my."

"Yeah," smirked Naruto as he turned to walk away, "Most people have that reaction." He meandered through the swamp, ignoring the screams as a few hundred of his clones descended on the villain. Plants swarms up to attack him, but clones fell on them like ants on sugar and pulled them back into the water.

"Orders?" asked one of his clones as the army fell in behind him.

Naruto pulled his mask to the side and flipped his eye patch. His Sharingan blazed and his vision snaked through the trees to a wide structure with a tall plant growing from it. "I've found their compound," he said, "Somebody get me in Sage Mode!" Two of the thousands of clones broke off from the main force and began to meditate.

"**Look out!**" Naruto spun out of the way as a black blur shot into the ground where he had once stood. The man who Connor had attacked stood up in the crater he made and brushed himself off.

"Quite an army you have here," he rumbled as he scanned his eyes over the host.

"What have you done with Superboy?"

The man turned to face the original and smirked cruelly. "I left him broken in a tree. Then I broke the tree. Why?"

"No reason," said Naruto as he fixed his mask, "I just needed justification. If you're strong enough to beat Superboy, it stands to reason you can survive this." He turned away and started to walk towards the compound.

The man snarled. "You dare turn your back on Black Adam?!"

"You dare turn your back on an army?" Naruto asked without turning. Black Adam turned and, to his credit, managed to gasp in surprise before a dozen giant orbs of blue energy struck him head on.

"Sage Art!" shouted one of the clones, "Massive Rasengan Barrage!" The air was knocked right out of Black Adam, so he wasn't even able to cry out in terror and pain as he was launched miles into the distance from the force of the multiple blows. Naruto sneered as he watched him disappear over the horizon as he entered Sage Mode himself.

"Let's make this quick," he said. Two clones ran behind him and began forming an attack in his outstretched hand. "Wind Style! Rasenshuriken!" he launched the attack and it sliced through a football field's worth of trees and swamp until it hit its true target. It sheered through the massive plant stalk that grew out of the central command center. The plant teetered for a moment before collapsing on the compound, ripping it apart.

"Timber," commented one of the clones as they marched towards the wreakage

"You know," said Naruto as more plants sprouted and tried to attack him, "It says a lot about my life that this isn't the first time I've cut down a massive plant that was threatening the world." His clones dealt with the plants as he approached the compound. A plant shot up at his feet and he dodged to the left as it jabbed at him.

"MY BABIES!" Naruto turned to see a pale redheaded woman in a green leotard running at him, her face contorted in fury, "YOU HURT MY BABIES!"

"They're plants," said Naruto dryly as a few hundred clones descended on her from the trees, "And they provide excellent cover."

"YOU CANNOT DEFEAT NATURE!" shouted the woman as she summoned a wall of plants to hold back his clones.

"Maybe not," said Naruto coolly as he turned, "But you shouldn't be much of a problem."

There was a clearing of a throat and Naruto turned to see two figures step out of the shadows. One was a white ape with a laser gun strapped to his chest. The other was a man in a green uniform with a helmet over a bare, glowing skull. "You know, most people would try a surprise attack in your position."

"Our apologies," grunted the ape with a bow, "I am the Ultra-Humanite and this is my associate, Atomic Skull. We are here to humbly submit and surrender to you."

"What he said," rasped the skull.

"Okay," said Naruto with a shrug, "Cool by me. Why though?"

"As the most intelligent being on the planet," explained Ultra-Humanite, "I deduced that the Injustice League has no chance of beating the likes of you, so I took it upon myself to save myself from the humiliation of defeat and give up."

Naruto nodded and looked to Atomic Skull. "And you?"

The villain jerked his head at the compound with a grunt. "They give me no respect."

"Hold intruder!" Naruto looked up to see a man with blue skin and a black beard in a red uniform floating above the ruined compound. Next to him floated a large, golden cage where the rest of his team lay unconscious. "Surrender or your friends die!"

Naruto blinked. "Wo-Tan, right? You do magic?"

"Yes," snorted the magician derisively, "I 'do magic'. Ultra-Humanite, you thought this Cretan could defeat us? You are losing your touch, old friend."

"**Kit,**" said Kurama urgently, "**I just felt something moving under us. Something big…familiar**."

_The swamplands,_ mused Naruto, _Ah, I see. Very clever, buddy. Let's bring you out into the open. I want to make sure you're alright._

"Wo-Tan," he called, "Out of curiosity, how do you intend to kill my friends?"

Wo-Tan smirked and waved his hand. As Naruto expected, the water beneath him started to bubble and suddenly burst from underneath him. A large pair of snapping jaws just missed his ankle as he dove out of the way of the house-sized turtle. "I believe you are familiar with my new pet!" bragged Wo-Tan as the three-tailed beast swung its tails and wiped out a large group of clones, "His appetite is ferocious, although I've never feed him Martian before. I wonder how it'll taste."

Naruto scowled as he evaded another swing of tails. Ultra-Humanite and Atomic Skull were smashed carelessly into some trees from Isobu's attacks, along with a few dozen clones. Naruto dove forwards, darting between clones and trees as he dodged attacks. Finally, he saw an opening and shot forwards, landing his palm on Isobu's armored forehead. With a flash of white, he entered the mental state of the Bijuu. "Isobu!" he cried as he wrapped his arms around the three-tails' neck, "Are you okay?"

"**I'm alright,**" he reassured him, "**Listen, Sensei, I don't have much time and I have to make it look good.**"

"Do what you must, buddy, don't hold back, okay?"

"**As you wish, Sensei, but I overheard something important.**"

"**What is it**?" asked Kurama, lifting his head off his paws.

"**Red Son,**" said Isobu, deadly serious.

Naruto blinked in confusion. "What about Red Son?"

"**That's it. All I overheard was Red Son and that it's important.**"

"Alright," nodded Naruto, "I'll keep an eye out on my end. Are you sure you're alright?"

"**I'm fine,**" chuckled Isobu, "**Honestly, you coddle us Bijuu like a parent does their children!**"

A smile spread across Naruto's face as he looked up with pride at the three-tails. "Yeah, funny how that turns out, huh. Good luck, buddy."

"**To you too, Sensei**." They left the mental plane and Naruto burst away from Isobu, blown back by his powerful defensive shell.

\ "Keep on him!" shouted Naruto to his clones. He turned to Wo-Tan and hurled a kunai at him. Wo-Tan smirked and tilted his head out of the way. Just as the knife cleared past his head, Naruto Hiraishined to it and rammed his heel into the back of the sorcerer's neck. Wo-Tan cried out and fell from the sky, his golden cage shimmering out of existence as his team, minus Superboy, fell into the swamp. "You guys okay?" Naruto asked.

"Urgh!" groaned Artemis as she patted her bare back, "I feel naked without my arrows, and not in the fun way!"

"Then we make our own, wait, what?!" Wally stared at her wide-eyed. Several plants burst from the swamp, but Kaldur cut them down with his water blades.

"Children?!" The team looked up to the ruined building to see a pale man with green hair and a purple suit climbing out from the rubble, "Children foiled our plan? Inconceivable! Unacceptable! Retrabutionable!" He grinned and drew a pair of switchblades. "That last one might not be a word. So sue me!"

"Huh," Naruto darted forwards with a kunai as his team fell in behind him, "The Joker, right? With a name like that, I thought you'd be funnier."

"Are you saying I'm not?" the Joker's switchblades met with Naruto's kunai and they flipped back and forth, trading slices and blows, "I'd like to see you try and be funnier, fox-face."

"Okay then," said Naruto. As he fell back from the Joker, he ripped away his mask and eye patch. "I've wondered what would happen if this was used on a crazy person." He pumped charkra into his eye and opened it wide. "Tsukuyomi!" Joker's eyes widened as Naruto's genjutsu took hold. For a few moments, entire days passed in his mind, each one filled with sadistic grins and months worth of physical and psychological torture.

After it was over, the Joker collapsed to his knees. "Now…that's…comedy," he groaned as he keeled over and groaned. Wo-Tan rose up from the swamp and shot multiple spells at the team. Wally dashed out of the way and grabbed Artemis, throwing her like a boomerang. The archer flipped through the air and kicked Wo-Tan in the face. She and Robin descended on him as Kaldur dove into the swamp to aid Naruto's quickly dwindling clones against Isobu.

"Wolf!" shouted Naruto as he slid down the building, "Find Superboy! Bring him to us!" The animal howled and ran off into the depths of the swamp. M'gann flew over Naruto, ripping away the plants that came near them as Naruto fixed his mask.

There was grunt behind them and Naruto spun once more. A bruised and bloodied Poison Ivy limped over a rise in the swamp. "You…hurt…my babies," she wheezed, "So I…hurt…your copies."

"That's okay," said Naruto. He tapped into Kurama's chakra and his eye turned red. "I have plenty more." Two clones formed by his side and he launched forwards. He swung his clones like hammers, spinning them around his body as they flailed and kicked the woman and whatever plants she dredged up. One kick caught her in the sternum and she screamed as a sickening crack ripped through the air. Naruto dropped the clones and they vanished as the woman fell on her back in the swamp. "That's quite a few ribs I just broke there," he said conversationally, "Want to pass out, or do I have to break some more?"

Poison Ivy managed to glare angrily at him before her eyes drifted shut and her breathing became settled. Naruto nodded and looked around. Artemis and Robin dragged an unconscious Wo-Tan over to the building as Kaldur and the few remaining clones did the same with Ultra-Humanite and Atomic Skull. Joker slid down the slope of the building on his own and landed with a thump with his head in the mud.

From the depths of the swamp, clones carried in Count Vertigo and Black Adam. Wolf appeared a few minutes later with Connor on his back. The teen clone looked fazed and a little weary, but no worse for wear. Isobu, seeing there was no reasonto keep fighting if his pretend masters were all unconscious, wrapped himself within his shell and rolled over next to Naruto. He patted the turtle affectionately and smiled over his team. "The day is our."

. . .

To say the Justice League was surprised to see their protégés lounging victoriously around the wreaked control center would be an understatement. Most of them were downright shocked. Superman had spared an interested glance at his teenage clone before he helped cart off the unconscious super criminals.

Currently, the team was in the Cave, celebrating with their mentors at a small party. All except Naruto, who was at the beach, gazing out over the ocean night.

"I'm told you did most of the heavy lifting," said Batman as he emerged from the shadows of the mountain, "Good work."

"Mmm," hummed Naruto.

"What did you do with the three-tailed turtle?"

"He's at the Tower of Fate for now. I'll find a suitable place for him to train."

"Very well," for a moment, the two heroes stood together and watched the waves roll in and out, "This isn't over."

"No," agreed Naruto, "For one thing, none of the Injustice League was associated with the League of Shadows, yet somehow they got their hands on Isobu and the Kobra Venom. That's not exactly something money can buy. Not to mention that the only one who would have enough experience in robotics to hijack Red Tornado would be Ultra-Humanite, but he surrendered to me."

"So where do we take things from here?"

Naruto glanced at the older hero. "You're the Batman, you tell me."

"I want to know what kind of answer you come up with."

Naruto smirked. "Answers. Even in my old world, people always wanted to know what my answer was. And I guess it hasn't changed all that much." He breathed in deeply, letting the sea air fill his nostrils. "My answer is that I will save this world; rid it of evil and hate."

"That's quite a long term goal."

"I know."

"Any thoughts on the short term?"

"None," said Naruto, folding his arms, "But I do know that the Injustice League was a front, a red hearing to lull us into a false sense of security. The real joined super villains are still out there, planning their next move."

Batman glanced at Naruto before turning to leave. "May I be frank?"

"Why stop now?"

"I don't trust you. I know next to nothing about your past and the limits of your powers. If we were to fight, I'm not entirely sure who would win. And that disturbs me, makes you a threat." Batman began to walk away, the sand crunching under his feet. "But I don't think there's anyone else I'd rather have leading this team."

Naruto smiled and felt Kurama tug at his mind. Naruto handed over control to the tailed beast and he wrote a kanji in the sand with Naruto's foot before relinquishing control. The waves came in to wash it away, but the image of the word 'sixth' written in sand was burned into Naruto's memory forever.

. . .

In a shadowy room far away, seven colorful people watched a wall of monitors as they reviewed the events of the last day. "Interesting," said one of them at last, "The plant creatures have proven their worth and the heroes are complacent. It appears we once again have the advantage of anonymity."

"Indeed," said the one with the thick French accent, "However, I am zaddened by ze loss of one of our _petit animaux_."

"Think nothing of it, Brain," yanwned another member, "We still have three left. Besides, until we fully understand them, I am hesitant to use the tailed-beasts."

"I concur," agreed another.

A woman laughed. "And yet, you allowed two mysterious inter-dimensional travelers into the inner folds of your League of Shadows, Ra's you old hypocrite."

"Klarion vouched for them," snarled Ra's.

"That reminds me," said Klarion absentmindedly, "I'll have to thank that Shinobi kid next time I see him."

"Why?" asked Brain, "Didn't he scatter your essence across reality?"

"Yeah, but that allowed me to get in contact with an old friend. You know, the one I was talking about?" The looks of his compatriots changed to a mixture of fear and interest.

"Really?" said Ra's hesitantly, "And what did he say?"

"He wants in," grinned Klarion, "It'll take him a while to get here, though, a couple months at least."

"But he'll be here? And he'll join us?"

"Oh yes," sighed Klarion, "We'll show him into the light."

. . .

Okay, so first things first; sorry I haven't been updating for a few weeks. I just got a full-time summer job and I went a little overboard on the Steam sale so I have a lot of new games to break in. Still, I'll try to update as often as I can, but don't expect me to keep up my previous pace until at least September.

Also, some good news and bad news. The good news is that a lot of reviewers have been asking for more original content. Well, your requests have been heard. I have a lot of fresh, cool ideas for where I can take the set up I've created that I feel is unique to me and also fits with the characters. The bad news is that all these cool ideas I've had are mostly centered on season 2. Yeah, I'll be able to set up a few plot threads in this season, but most of the original content will have to come after later, sorry.

One more thing. One of the games I bought on Steam was Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 Full Burst. While playing, I noticed that Naruto does use a Shadow Clone to create his Rasengan. Since a lot of people have been complaining that he can do it without a Shadow Clone, I took it upon myself to do a little research. As an avid fan of the manga and anime, I know that he traditionally uses Shadow Clones, but this is not always the case. For example, Naruto's first Rasengan was formed using Naruto's own two hands without the help of a shadow clone. Also, in his Nine-Tail's Chakra Mode, Naruto can form the Rasengan in one hand by making a second hand made of demon chakra.

There are moments in the filler arcs from the anime where he seemingly forms the Rasengan instantaneously without Shadow Clones, but my theory is that he eventually can form a Rasengan so naturally and so quickly, that the animators didn't feel the need to show him making it with his Shadow Clone. He just made it so quickly that taking the time to show him making it would slow down the action and pacing.

Also, I feel I should point out that while it is explained in great detail how the technique behind using two hands to make the Rasengan, there is almost no explanation about how Jiraya, Minato, and even Kakashi can from the Rasengan in one hand. Granted that Naruto is known to have sub-par chakra control, but Konohamaru is descended from the Third Hokage, a ninja known for having great chakra control, and yet he too uses a Shadow Clone to make his Rasengan.

I guess what it boils down to is that, while Naruto doesn't necessarily need a Shadow Clone to make his Rasengan, he does need two hands to swirl the chakra.

PS. I didn't like the Young Justice Joker. No insight behind it, I just didn't like him.


	16. Humanity

Same disclaimers and italics as before.

Chapter 16: Humanity

"Huh," Naruto gazed up in impressed wonder at the massive swirl of silk that hung in the Bijuu's nursery.

Isobu crawled up next to him and gazed up at the colossal structure above them. "**That is one big cocoon**," he noted as he rested his head on his arms.

_Hey furball, how long can we expect him to grow in there?_

"**No telling,**" sighed Kurama, "**Even old man Hagomoro didn't know. He expected the process to take a few days, but Chomei was in there for almost thirty years.**"

"Isobu," said Naruto, "I have a job for you. For the next few weeks, I want you to observe your brother. I want to know what I can expect and what should come as a surprise when I take care of him myself."

"**Understood,**" nodded Isobu, "**I'll keep an eye on him.**" Naruto nodded and patted Isobu's flank as he left.

Atlantic City always made Naruto a little angry. Seeing confident people walk into the casinos along the boardwalk and leave hapless losers made him constantly question the motives of humanity. Still, it was nice to be out in fresh air, plus the Zeta Tube was very close by.

Naruto looked out into the sea and sighed as the sun began to set behind him. _It's almost over_.

"**What are you talking about**?"

_Have you truly forgotten, Kurama? _Naruto sighed, _Today is the day_.

Kurama rubbed his massive paw and picked at his giant ears. "**Sorry, ever since we came to this world, dates have been a little off for me.**"

Naruto grunted and turned away from the ocean, walking towards the broken down kiosk where the Zeta Tube was hidden. _Forget it, I'm making a big deal out of nothing_.

He Zata Tubed to the Cave and walked in to a training session. Connor and Wolf were roughhousing in the corner while M'gann and Kaldur sparred. Black Canary watched from the sidelines with Wally and Robin. Artemis was practicing her archery against a set up of moving, holographic targets.

"Shinobi," greeted Black Canary, "So glad you could join us."

"What?" Naruto shrugged as he walked forwards, dodging through M'gann and Kaldur's spar with expert ease, "No offense Canary, but I put the well-being of my Bijuu ahead of my training."

"Ah, yes," nodded Canary, "Batman told me you'd taken on some pets."

"They're not pets," snapped Naruto as M'gann threw Kaldur to the ground, "They're…family. Besides, I'm constantly training."

Canary raised an eyebrow at him and folded her arms. "Oh?"

Naruto pulled down his sleeve, revealing a row of thin weights strapped around his forearm. Robin looked over and nodded in approval. "An old Chinese trick, right? Builds physical strength without the user ever realizing it."

"Not quite," said Naruto as he pulled his sleeve over the weights, "I need to build up my endurance so I can learn another technique from my homelands."

"So long as you're progressing," nodded Canary. Behind her, the Zeta Tubes activated and Zatara stepped through. He spent a moment fiddling with the controls on the tube and a second figure walked out with a flash of light.

"Zatanna," he introduced, "This is the team." The light faded and a pretty, pale girl with silky black hair and piercing blue eyes stepped through. "Team, my daughter Zatanna."

The girl had a nervous look on her face, but M'gann hovered forwards to quell her anxiety. "Hi!" she said brightly, "I'm-"

"Robin!" the boy wonder shot in front of her abruptly, a wide grin on his face, "I mean, I'm Robin, Not her. She's M'gann. That's Wally, Artemis, Connor, Kaldur, Wolf, and Naruto." Zatanna met all their eyes in turn and nodded her greeting to them. When she faced Naruto, she frowned slightly and took a step back as a shiver ran visibly down her spine.

"**Uh-oh**."

_Problems?_

"**Kit, I…I think she can sense me.**"

Naruto hesitated as his face paled slightly. _I'll play it safe. So long as she doesn't talk, there's nothing to worry about._

"Welcome to the Cave," he said aloud as he offered her his hand. She glanced at it coldly, like he was showing her a dead fish. Kaldur seemed a little upset by her disrespect and looked like he was about to say something when Robin interjected.

"So, are you joining the team?" he asked eagerly.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," said Zatara quickly, "This is strictly a visit. Although I am sorry we missed that bout with the Injustice League. Zatanna could benefit from the experience." He turned to Black Canary and they began to speak in hushed tones.

"_Do any of you get the impression Zatara still has us on probation?_" asked M'gann in their minds.

"_He's not the only one,_" grumbled Connor, "_Captain Marvel still hangs out around here_."

"_That's different,_" protested Naruto, "_He wants to be here, he thinks we're cool._"

Artemis rolled her eyes. "_He's a grown man! And he thinks hanging with a bunch of teenagers is cool? It's not! It's creepy!_"

Naruto shrugged. "_Maybe he's younger than we think. Regardless, it's clear some of the League still doesn't trust us and blames us for letting Tornado get away._"

"_I miss him,_" sighed Kaldur, "_He trusted and respected us._"

"_But clearly we shouldn't have trusted him,_" muttered Connor angrily, "_If I find that android, I'm shoving him in a trash compactor_!"

"_Maybe all that's needed is a few more missions like the last one_," reasoned M'gann, "_All it took was one victory over the Injustice League and Zatara brings in his daughter for a tryout session_. _If we keep doing well, maybe we can regain their trust._"

"_But we shouldn't have to regain it!_" Wally pointed out, "_What happened with Tornado wasn't our fault! Heck! Half of us were captives for most of it!_"

Artemis sighed. "_That's kind of the point, moron._"

"_The bottom line is that Tornado nearly killed us and was a traitor to both the team and the League,_" said Connor firmly, "_The question now is; what do we do about it?_"

"Excuse me," said Zatanna, stepping forwards, "Are you guys having a psychic conversation? 'Cause I can't decide if that's really cool or really rude." Naruto blinked sheepishly. The team had been so used to discussing things through M'gann's telepathic links, that they had been as animated and active as they would be in a spoken conversation. Now, Zatanna and the adults were staring at them accusingly.

"Fine!" admitted Connor angrily, "We were talking about Red Tornado! It's been weeks since the attack and the League hasn't told us anything!"

"The League is searching for Tornado," sighed Black Canary, "As well as the other androids that invaded the cave and their creator, T.O. Morrow."

"Wait," said Naruto, rubbing the bridge of his nose, "You know who was behind this attack?"

"Of course," said Zatara, "The robots you described fit the description of Morrow's usual design style. Nobody could imitate his M.O. so perfectly besides Morrow himself."

"And this has given you no leads?" Naruto looked between them, exasperated, "Literally, you can do nothing with this information?"

"Batman has been following all possible leads," said Black Canary, folding her arms, "He's recruited other detectives to help him out. But don't worry, we'll find them all."

"Tornado is Justice League," Zatara put forth, "So we have made finding him our highest priority."

"The team is not to pursue this," Black Canary finished firmly, "Understood?"

Wally was about to protest, but Naruto slapped a hand over his mouth. "Understood," he said through grit teeth, "C'mon guys, let's give Zatanna a little tour, shall we?"

Sparing angry glances at the adults, the team walked out of the main hall and into the kitchen, Zatanna trailing behind. "We're not really taking a tour, are we?"

Naruto turned to her. In the thirty seconds since they had left the main hall, she had changed into a lavender spaghetti-strap top and white Capri pants. Robin blinked. "When did…how…huh?"

"No, we're not touring," said Naruto.

"What did you have in mind, captain?" asked Kaldur.

Zatanna blinked. "Wait. _He's_ the leader of this team?"

M'gann raised an eyebrow. "Naruto is an experienced warrior and leader. He was the natural choice to command us and hasn't let us down yet."

"Sure about that?" Zatanna glanced Naruto up and down and he fought to keep an angry glare off his face.

"We're hunting down Tornado," he continued.

"Wow, out loud and everything," Zatanna grumbled.

Naruto elected to ignore her. "Mutli-Shadow Clone Jutsu." Eight clones puffed into existence. Seven of them peered at the team and transformed into each member with a burst of smoke. "This'll keep the adults off our backs."

"Okay," Artemis commented as she stared at her doppelganger, "This is so surreal. But what about new girl?"

"I don't know," Zatanna glanced nervously at Naruto and he knew immediately what kept her at bay. "I mean, I won't tell on you guys, but…"

Naruto sighed and reached into his jacket. He'd sown a small inner pocket to hold one of his most treasured possessions and he drew it out. "You know what this is?" he asked as he flashed his golden pocket watch to Zatanna.

She gasped as the light reflected onto her face. "Is that a Sentinel of Magic watch? But they only give those to-"

"Sentinels of Magic," said Naruto dryly as he tucked it away again, "Yeah. You in the club?"

Zatanna rubbed her wrist nervously. "Dad won't let me get involved in the whole hero stuff enough to get noticed by the Sentinels."

"So," reasoned Naruto, "Wouldn't impressing one of them give you something of a leg up? Like, say, if you were to come with us and help us out?"

Zatanna glared at him. "Are you bribing me with a good recommendation to the Sentinels?"

Naruto grinned. "Maybe." It technically wasn't a lie. Naruto had never approached or been approached by another Sentinel of Magic, but the watch had been a gift from Kent, so he'd held onto it with a vise grip, never expecting to use it. But from how Zatanna had reacted, it clearly still held some power and authority.

Zatanna rolled her eyes in frustration. "Fine," she conceded, "I'll come."

"Perfect," Robin said with zeal, "So, to the Bioship?"

Kaldur shook his head. "No good. Canary will get suspicious if they see the hangar empty but the team still here. We need another way out."

Naruto drew his mask from its hook on his waistband and cracked his neck. _Ready, furball?_

"**I hope you know what you're doing, kit. Especially with the little sorceress over there**."

"Everyone take hands," he ordered. The team obeyed with confused looks but no questions, they assumed their leader knew what he was doing. Zatanna took Naruto's hand reluctantly, like she was being forced to hold squid guts. "Just a heads up," he said, "This is gonna take a lot out of me." He breathed in deep and closed his eye. Kurama's chakra burst like a dam into his chakra network and he began funneling it into the jutsu.

"Naruto?" asked M'gann nervously as Naruto opened his eye.

"Hiraishin," he breathed. There was a flash of golden-yellow light and the team suddenly found themselves in the middle of a warm study, lit cozily by a large fire place. It took them a few moments to remember where they'd seen the familiar room, but they all remembered it as Kent Nelson's library in the Tower of Fate. "Third Step," Naruto whispered as he sank to the ground, the world loosing focus around him.

"Naruto!" he heard M'gann cry before he passed out, "Naruto!"

. . .

"Are you ready, Naruto?"

Naruto blinked with his new eye and looked around wildly. "So this is the power of the Sharingan," he muttered, "So weird, I can see everything."

"Focus," snapped Sasuke, tightly shutting his now empty left eye socket, "How many fingers am I holding behind my back?"

Naruto glanced at him. "Four."

Sasuke nodded. "Good work, Sakura." He took a deep breath and sat down in exhaustion next to Kakashi.

"Naruto," said his sensei softly, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"If I don't, not only will our world die, but so will whatever's on the other side," said Naruto with a grim smile, "What kind of shinobi would I be if I didn't?"

A tear streaked down Kakashi's face. "Minato-Sensei," he murmured to himself, "This really is your son."

Naruto turned to the spinning vortex and clenched his fists. Images flashed in his mind of everyone who had died; his parents, Jiraya, Nagato, Itachi, Obito, Neji, and who knows how many others. He was doing this for them and for the people they left behind, for the people who would live in the future and discuss how the sacrifice of Naruto Uzumaki, the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi and Hero of the Hidden Leaf, paved the way for peace in the ninja world.

"Na…ru…to," Naruto turned as Tsunade forced herself up, her old bones creaking audibly, "Wait."

. . .

"Naruto?" Naruto blinked as he awoke, "Naruto, are you okay?" M'gann was leaning over him with a worried look and he smiled up at her.

"Is there a way I can ensure I always wake up to such a beautiful face?" M'gann rolled her eyes as he sat up.

"Have you been taking flirting lessons from Wally?"

"Oh c'mon," he protested as he tried to keep the room from spinning, "That was a good one-liner."

"It was a little forced."

Naruto clutched his head and groaned. _Furball, you okay?_

"**Let's not do that any time soon.**"

_Agreed._

"What was that?" asked M'gann as she helped him to his feet.

"Hiraishin, Third Step," sighed Naruto, "A regular Hiraishin is the First Step. It goes anywhere from a meter to two kilometers. My dad made a short-ranged version called the Second Step."

"So you made a long-distance version called the Third Step," nodded M'gann in understanding, "That's how we ended up in the Tower, Several hundred kilometers from Happy Harbor."

"Exactly," Naruto looked around, "Where are the others?"

"I think Connor and Kaldur went to play with Isobu. Zatanna got into a fight with Wally about magic and Artemis made them take it outside."

"And Robin?"

M'gann smirked. "He followed Zatanna like a love-sick puppy."

"Of course he did," grumbled Naruto, "I'm just glad none of them found my room."

"Where is your room anyway?"

Naruto waved to one of the bookcases. "It's behind the wall. You just say my name and it opens." He hesitated. "Wait, no!" It was too late. M'gann shot over to the door and said his name. Instantly, the bookcase shimmered away to reveal a door. Naruto tried to run after her, but the world began to spin again so he had to fall against a couch. M'gann giggled as she flung open the door and ran inside.

Naruto stumbled over to the doorway and sighed as he saw M'gann spinning around, taking in the room. "Wow," she murmured. The walls were covered with badly drawn sketches of various people and locations. The symbols of the Uzumaki Clan and the Hidden Leaf Village were painted above the twin bed in the corner. "Is this your old world?" asked M'gann as she stroked a picture of the Konoha skyline.

"Yeah," he sighed, "I drew all these so I could try and forget about them, you know, get them out of my head. The only problem is I can't draw for peanuts."

"I don't know," said M'gann as she touched another picture, "I like the way you drew this smile."

Naruto burst into laughter. "Sai's smiles are almost always fake. I was trying to draw him dead faced."

"Oh," she said with a nervous chuckle, "Who are these people?" Her hands ran over a large poster he'd made of the Konoha Mountains.

"The previous Hokages," he said as he hobbled over to her, "They were the leaders of my village and the most powerful ninja of their day. Each one of them gave their lives to protect the people they loved. That second one on the right was the Fourth Hokage, the greatest of them all."

"He looks familiar," murmured M'gann, backing her head into Naruto's chest. He leaned on her slightly.

"**Tell her, kit, what harm could it do?**"

Naruto put his hand next to M'gann's on the picture. "He was my father," he said softly.

"Oh. Oh!" she said as she processed what he'd told her, "Naruto, I'm so sorry."

"It's fine," he said, "I never really knew him. I didn't even figure out he was my father until I was sixteen."

M'gann rubbed his arm and wrapped it around her waist. "Can I ask how he died?"

"He was killed by a nine-tailed demon fox spirit," Naruto said. He immediately wanted to kick himself.

"That's terrible!" she said, "On Mars, the priests tell us that demons are magical personifications on evil that can only be vanquished by…wait, nine-tailed? Like the Bijuu?"

Naruto glared internally. _Tell her, you said. What harm could it do, you said._

"**You're the one who couldn't come up with a decent lie! You could have just said it was a sensitive subject or something!**"

"No, no, totally different," he said quickly.

M'gann glanced up at him, but settled deeper into his arm nonetheless. "As comfortable as this is, you've been out for an hour and you did say we were going to find Red Tornado."

"Yeah," sighed Naruto, "Gather the team. I have an idea."

M'gann forced herself out of Naruto's embrace and left the room. "**That was a close one, knucklehead.**"

_Shut up, furball._ Naruto looked around the room and slowly moved his head from side to side, letting the world shift as he regained his balance. Once he felt he could walk, he left his room. The team was assembled in the study and turned to Naruto as he entered.

"So, feeling better?" asked Wally.

"I'm fine."

"What's our next move?" asked Kaldur.

Naruto walked to the portrait of Inza on the wall above the mantle. He felt behind the frame and found the trigger. As he pulled it, the fireplace vanished into nothing, filling the room with darkness. For a moment, nothing happened, but then the room was lit by florescent ceiling fans. In the few seconds it had been dark, the room had transformed into a large, well lit garage filled with row upon row of cars.

"Little known fact," said Naruto as the others marveled at the sudden transformation, "Kent Nelson was an avid car collector. VW Bus, anyone?"

"Dude! Forget the VW!" shouted Wally as he darted at super speed through the rows of cars, "I just saw two Lamborghinis, a Ferrari, and a Bentley! If we're riding, we're riding in style!"

Naruto shook his head. "Too attention-grabbing. We need to be inconspicuous."

Robin chuckled. "And a car that hasn't been driven since 1979 is totally inconspicuous, right?"

"Fair point," said Naruto. He snapped his fingers and the lines of cars vanished; replaced by a single, yellow school bus. "Good thing Kent had a wide range of tastes."

"Where are we going anyway?" asked Zatanna.

"Canary said Batman has teamed up with a bunch of detectives," said Naruto as he climbed into the bus, "We're going to find the one detective I know for certain he hasn't checked with. Connor, can you drive this thing?"

"I can try," said Connor as he slid into the driver's seat. The keys were in the ignition and the engine roared to life at his command. As soon as he did so, a bright light flashed in front of the bus and a large, golden ankh shone before them. Connor hesitantly drove towards the ankh and gulped slightly as the engine vanished into the light, pulling the bus along with it. As the light faded, the team found themselves exiting a garage to a small, suburban house and pulling into an empty street.

"Where are we now?" demanded Artemis as Wally pressed his nose against the window, searching for hologram projectors that might explain the sudden transportation.

"The suburbs of Atlantic City," said Naruto, "The Tower's in the city itself, but the garage is always close by."

"So," said Connor as he pulled onto a busier street, "Where to?"

Naruto closed his eye and entered his mindscape. _Can you sense him, Kurama?_

"**Sort of. It's hard to distinguish one magical signature from another with the Tower so close.** **I think I feel him to the west, but I could be wrong.**"

_Good enough for me._

"Head west," he said, opening his eye, "I'll direct you when we get closer." Connor nodded and turned. Naruto felt a tapping on his shoulder and turned back in his seat to face Kaldur in the seat behind him.

"May I speak with you, Naruto?"

"Sure, what's wrong?"

Kaldur glanced to the back of the bus, where Zatanna and Robin were sitting. "I do not like Zatanna. She is disrespectful to you and does not seem trustworthy."

Naruto shrugged. "She's new to all this, still breaking in her shoes, so to speak."

"Still, that is no excuse for how rude she has been to you."

"We didn't exactly make a good first impression," Naruto reminded him, "It's understandable how she'd think a little badly of us. So, M'gann told me you met Isobu."

Kaldur smiled. "Indeed. He was very fun to train with. Superboy and I couldn't break through his defense and his coral attacks caught us off-guard."

"Did he say anything?"

"Yes. He said that the cocoon was twitching every few hours."

"Good," nodded Naruto, "I think."

"Hey, Naruto," said Connor, "Any directions?"

"**We're getting closer. A few miles south west.**" Naruto relayed the directions and sat back, watching the scenery go by. They'd entered a small, rundown city with a bunch of boarded up buildings. "**There! Twenty feet to the left!**" Naruto told Connor to stop the bus and he pulled into an abandoned lot. The team followed Naruto out as he walked across the street to a small, two story building. The first floor had a neon 'Psychic' sign with a glowing eye under it and looked to be closed.

"This is where we're going to find a detective?" asked Wally incredulously.

Zatanna took a shaky step forwards. "No way," she said, her eyes wide, "He disappeared, like, thirty years ago! There's no chance you found him in an hour!"

"You're right," said Naruto as he kicked the door and broke the lock, "It was closer to forty-five minutes. Besides, this is the perfect hiding place. It's close enough to the Tower of Fate to for his magical energy to be indistinguishable from the Tower's aura, but close enough that he can feed on it for his own magic." The shop was small and typical of a psychic's shop. A small table with barely-hidden car jacks under it sat in front of a dark staircase.

"This is exactly what I'm talking about," said Wally as he passed the table, following Naruto up the stairs, "Magic: totally fake."

"Somebody hold me back!" snarled Zatanna angrily. At the top of the stairs was a door with a sign that read 'Employees only'.

Naruto knocked on it hesitantly. "Take what you want and get out!" shouted a raspy voice from the other side.

Naruto glanced back and Zatanna shrugged. He knocked again. "We, uh, we don't want your money. We want to speak with Dr. Richard Occult."

"Who? He doesn't live here! Get out!"

"**Right,**" snarled Kurama sarcastically, "**And that's the archangel Michael I'm sensing beyond that door.**" Naruto rolled his eyes and kicked the door. The bolt didn't shatter, but the hinges broke and the door fell over into the room. An old bald man in a bathrobe sat in an overstuffed armchair in the middle of a library four times larger than the building it was housed in.

"What part of 'get out' was hard for you stupid kids to understand!" shouted the man as he stood up. He walked towards them threateningly and Naruto backed off. Just as it looked like he was about to start shooting curses at them, the old man turned to a bar next to the doorway. He grabbed himself a bottle of scotch and poured a shot. "What kind of valuables did you think you'd find in a psychic shop anyway?"

"I told you," said Naruto as he walked into the library, "We're not here for money. Are you Dr. Occult?"

The old man grunted as he downed his drink. "Dr. Occult, Mr. Mystic, Rose Psychic, take your pick."

Wally poked his head in after Zatanna. "Rose Psychic?"

"It was a phase," sighed Dr. Occult as he settled back in his armchair, "Now, what do you want?"

"Our friend went missing," said Naruto, "Red Tornado. He turned on us and disappeared. We want to find him and we need your help."

Dr. Occult stared at them. "Red Tornado? The robot? And you came to a magician detective? That's smart."

"Red Tornado is more than a machine," said Naruto, pulling up a seat across from Dr. Occult, "He has life inside him, a sentient conscience."

"And that's supposed to support your argument!" barked Dr. Occult, "I've been retired for thirty years! I hid specifically so I wouldn't be bothered by all this super hero nonsense! If you went to all the trouble of finding me, you better have a good reason to get me moving again."

"Hang on," said Robin, "I'm still trying to figure this out. Who's this guy?"

Zatanna slapped him upside the head. "Show some respect!" she hissed, "Dr. Occult was the first magical super hero! Dr. Fate was inspired to be a human hero because of him!"

"According to Kent Nelson, you could find anyone from around the world by tracking their emotions," said Naruto, "I know you're retired, but I don't think it would be too much to ask to find a fellow superhero."

"Oh, not a big deal, eh?" snorted Dr. Occult, "You're kidding me, right, kid? Magical energy comes from within! I have barely enough energy to light a cigarette anymore!"

"What if I could provide you with energy?" asked Naruto.

Dr. Occult laughed so hard, he nearly threw up his shot. "Are you kidding me, kid? Do you know anything about magic?"

Naruto glared at him. "A magic spell of the magnitude we require needs a certain amount of energy, a focused mind, and knowledge of how the spell works. Which is why I made her come along." He jerked his thumb back at Zatanna. "You have the experience, Zatanna has the mind, I have the energy. All we're asking for is your contribution to the formula."

Dr. Occult glared back at him for a moment. "Well, well," he said, "Looks like you do know something. How much energy are we talking here?" Naruto reached over to the armchair and rested his hand on Dr. Occult. He transferred a bit of chakra into the old man and he gasped. "That's strong stuff," he muttered as Naruto drew his hand away, "Okay kid, tell you what. I'll help you with the spell, and you help me move to a new location. This one's compromised."

Naruto grinned. "Deal. How much you need?"

The old man cracked his knuckles and stood up. From the depths of his bathrobe, he twirled out a piece of chalk. "About five times what you just gave me." He cleared his throat and tossed the chalk into the air. "Htrae eht ward!" The chalk spun in the air before shooting to the ground and scribbling by itself. "It'll take a minute to draw," said Dr. Occult, "You, witch-girl."

"It's Zatanna."

"That's even stupider than Witch-Girl."

"Zatanna is my name!"

"That's even stupider! Your secret identity is you super hero name? Kid, are you sure she has the mind to focus the spell?"

Naruto rolled his eyes as the chalk finished drawing a world map with a flourish. "Just tell me what do to," sighed Zatanna, rubbing her forehead, "I can't believe I respected you."

"I can't believe your endangering everyone you know with just your name."

"Shut up, both of you!" snapped Naruto, "Just do the spell!"

"Alright, alright!" grunted the old man, "Okay, Zatora-"

"Zatanna!"

"Whatever! Just focus hard on an image of your friend with your mind's eye and an image of the planet with the rest of your brain, got it?"

Zatanna nodded and raised her hands to her head. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. "Got it," she said, "What now?"

Dr. Occult stomped his foot and jets of flame shot out of it, twisting as it burned the floor in the shape of a pentacle. "Step into the circle. You too, kid." Naruto and Zatanna stepped into the circle and took the old man's open hands. Naruto flushed was left of his chakra into Dr. Occult and the old man tossed his head back. "Kcart eht snoitoms fo…" he hesitated and looked back at Naruto, "What did you say your friend's name was?"

"Red Tornado!"

The old man blinked. "Spell that."

Zatanna rolled her eyes. "R-E-D T-O-R-N-A-D-O!"

Dr. Occult hesitated for a moment before nodding and throwing his head back again. "Odanrot der!" he finished. A bolt of lightning shot from the ceiling and slammed into the world map. It snaked towards the east coast of the United States and worked its way across the country, coming to a stop in the south west. Naruto stared at the image and memorized it before it faded. The lightning ended and the map and pentacle vanished. Dr. Occult fell back in his chair with a grunt. "Oh!" he sighed, "That was more excitement than I've had since the Rose years!"

"Right," sighed Naruto, "The American South West. We can take it from there, Doctor. Thank you for your help." He started to leave and the team walked behind him.

"Hey kid! I'll make you another deal."

Naruto stopped and hung his head with a sigh. "Oh, I'm going to regret this," he muttered as he turned around, "What did you have in mind?"

"I'm guessing you want to find your friend as soon as possible, right?" Naruto raised an eyebrow. "If you give me some more energy, I'll teleport you and your gang to where the map was pointing."

"And in return?"

"You know enough about magic that you have to have had some kind of training," said the old man, "You mentioned Kent Nelson, so I'm guessing it was him that taught you."

"Yeah, so?"

"So it stands to reason you know how to get into the Tower of Fate."

Naruto blinked as he realized what Dr. Occult was getting at. "No," he said, his face paling at the prospect of this cranky old man living in the Tower, "No way."

"C'mon, Naruto!" hissed M'gann in his ear, "We need to get to Tornado!"

"We don't have a choice!" whispered Connor.

Naruto sighed and rubbed his temples. "Fine. How much energy this time?"

The old man cracked a toothy grin. "For eight people? Half-way across the country? That's a tall order. You're going to have to delve in deep for this kind of energy."

Kurama rolled his shoulders and growled softly. "**Let's do this.**" Naruto nodded and the old man motioned for the teens to come closer. They stood in a circle and took hands, all glaring nervously at the old man. Kurama flexed his fingers and his energy soared through Naruto. Normally, this level of chakra would convert Naruto into his Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, but he was just a conduit. Kurama's energy was going through him, directly into Dr. Occult. The old man twisted his head as he felt the energy flow into him.

"Huh," he said, gazing at Naruto, "What do you know about that."

Naruto gulped nervously. "Just do the spell."

Dr. Occult shrugged. "Your call, kid. Noitanitsed rieht ot elpoep eseht tropelet."

To say that the teleportation process was uncomfortable was an understatement. Naruto felt like each individual cell in his body was being twisted inside out. Pain ripped through his body like a drill, spiraling outwards from his chest. His vision went black and he closed his eye to block out the pain. When he opened it, he was sprawled in a clearing in the middle of some woods. In the distance, a large mountain protruded into the heavens.

"Ow," he muttered to himself, staring at the early night sky, "That hurt. Then again, I've had a fist covered in lightning shoved through my chest, so I guess it's all relative."

There was a groan next to him and he looked over to see M'gann lying next to him. "You had a really weird life, didn't you."

Naruto sat up, his team was grunting in pain in a circle on the ground. "**He's close,**" said Kurama with a pant, "**Huh, that took more out of me than I realized. I can barely stand.**"

_Are you kidding me, furball?_ Naruto stood up and fell back against a tree, _You once dished out enough charka to power an entire army!_

"**Urgh, fine,**" Kurama pushed himself up and reached within himself and pulled out a vast reserve of chakra that he split easily with Naruto.

"Everyone okay?"

"We're fine," grunted Connor, "Now where's that robot creep? I'm gonna shove him in a trash compactor!"

"Easy," said Kaldur, standing next to him, "We are still not certain if Red Tornado betrayed us."

"What are you talking about?" raged Connor, "He nearly killed us! I just got into this world a few months ago, and he was willing to snuff me out!"

"Tornado has human emotions," sighed Naruto as he helped M'gann to her feet, "But he's still a slave to his programming. He deserves the benefit of the doubt. After all, we gave you the same at Cadmus."

Connor snarled and looked away angrily. Robin helped Wally up and turned to Naruto. "What now?"

Naruto breathed deeply. _Kurama?_

"**Just a little to the south, towards the mountain**."

Naruto turned his head to the side and followed Kurama's directions, heading south. "Switch to camo mode," he hissed behind him, "Zatanna, you coming?"

"In for a penny, in for a pound," she sighed as her clothes morphed into a black magician's outfit with leggings and high heels. Naruto thought he saw a bit of drool fall out of Robin's mouth and he smirked.

"Shinobi! Look out!" shouted Kaldur. Before Naruto could react, he was slammed in the back by something hard and metal. He flew across the clearing with a grunt and slammed into a tree. The wind picked up abruptly and his teammates fell around him. He pushed himself off the tree and drew a kunai as he stared into the cold, metallic eyes of Red Tornado, drifting along in his namesake towards them.

"Why, Tornado?" shouted M'gann as he snaked back and forth across the ground, "Why are you doing this?"

"_Everyone look at the ground!_" she called mentally. Naruto glanced to where Tornado was hovering and his eyes widened.

"_Message received,_" he said as he flipped backwards. Tornado raised his hands and a dozen red twisters spun out in a circle around the team, trapping them in high-velocity winds.

"Who cares why!" called Connor, "Nail him!" He grabbed Kaldur and flung him at the android. Red intercepted Kaldur and threw him at Connor, tossing them both into the wall of tornados. They were unceremoniously slammed to the ground and rolled over. Robin and Naruto tossed their projectiles and Artemis shot an arrow at him. All the projectiles were thrown off course in the wind, but Naruto Hiraishined behind Tornado and grabbed his kunai. Before he could deliver the blow, Tornado grabbed Artemis's arrow from midair and blocked Naurto. He grabbed the ninja by the arm and tossed him wordlessly to the ground.

Wally ran in circles, forming his own tornado, and M'gann used this as cover to try and get behind Red. Red simply grabbed her by the throat and slammed her body into Wally, sending them both back with the force of his speed. Robin tossed twin explosive shuriken and Tornado spun them in the air, sending them back at Robin and Artemis in two explosions. Zatanna tried to speak, but the oxygen was pulled from her lungs and she fell to the ground, clutching her throat if surprise.

For a few moments, they all lay on the ground in the middle of Tornado's trap. Suddenly, the ground beneath them shook and a lone figure erupted from the earth in their midst. "Quite a performance, brother," said the figure in a metallic monotone, "But we both know that's all it was." A few meters away, Tornado's message of 'Play Dead' was wiped away as the figure rose on a pillar of earth. "I have your memories, Tornado," said the figure, "As well as a next-gen processor. I know your next move before you do. I even know that Shinobi has three Shadow Clones in the woods, waiting to use his wind attack on me."

Naruto grit his teeth and stood up, the rest of the team following suit. He dove forwards and tossed his kunai up at the figure. Once it reached the figure's eye height, he Hiraishined to it to get a good look at his enemy. It was a deep red android. Lines of glowing red energy crossed over its body and an emblem of a volcano adorned its chest. "Admiring my shell, human?" asked the android as it raised its hand, "It'll be the last work of art you see." A boulder emerged from behind him and slammed into Naruto. He fell back, but was pulled away from the boulder by M'gann before he could be crushed under it. He glanced to the side and saw Tornado retreating towards the mountain.

"_Is he abandoning us?_" asked Connor.

"_I don't believe that!_" M'gann protested.

"_M'gann! Drop me_!" Naruto shouted.

"_But we're a hundred feet in the air!_"

"_Do it!_" M'gann dropped him and he glanced up at the sky in anger. Of all the nights for there to be a new moon, it had to be the night where his Shadow Possession Jutsu would come in handy. He formed two Shadow Clones and grabbed both of them by the arm.

"Go!" he threw them forwards and they twisted violently around each other.

"Fang Over Fang!" they called as they spiraled towards the android. The other members of the team were bombarding it with their attacks, but moved out of the way just in time for Naruto's clones to take it by surprise.

To be fair, it almost worked. The android summoned a spiked of earth that rose up and stabbed into the clones, bursting them out of existence. "You don't stand a chance, humans," it snarled. Naruto tossed his kunai to the ground and Hiraishined to it so he didn't splatter against the earth.

M'gann swooped down and Connor jumped up. "We're not humans!" they cried as one."

"My apologies," said the robot, "I suppose the all-encompassing term would be," it raised its hands and a pair of boulders smashed M'gann and Connor together, making them fall to the ground, "Meatbags." It turned its head to the side and several fissures shot out from under his pillar. The team dodged between them as they tried to get closer.

_This guy could give old man Tsuchikage a run for his money!_

"**So could we! Go into my cloak!**"

_Are you kidding me? With Zatanna around? She'll spill the beans for sure! And I don't have time to go into Sage Mode, my clones dispersed the second they found out they'd been made!_

"K.F.! Maneuver two!" he called. Wally nodded and ran over to him. He grabbed Naruto by the arm and swung violently in a circle, throwing Naruto at high speeds towards the android.

"I have Tornado's memory," sighed the android as he caught Naruto and slammed him into the ground, "And a faster processor. I know all your moves."

"Then let me show you some he didn't know," grunted Naruto. He flipped up and round housed the android. As he'd predicted, the robot caught his foot in a vise grip, but it gave Naruto just enough time to move his mask and flip his eye patch.

The android nearly laughed. "I have no concept of pain for your illusion to exploit and by the time your black fire melted my internal processors, I could kill your entire team."

Naruto smirked as he pumped chakra into his eye. There was a twinge of pain and he felt a pool of blood forming under his eye. He hadn't fully conquered this technique as it usually required two Mangekyo Sharingan to use, but the power of the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan afforded him a weaker version. "Susano'o!"

Naruto's body was surrounded by a flaming purple skeleton avatar. Its sudden appearance tossed the android back and Naruto used the skeleton's fist to smash the android into the ground. The android pushed the fist off of him and threw a barrage of rocks at Naruto. The skeleton's rib cage wrapped in front of him and the rocks shattered against the defense.

"Interesting," said the android, "Certainly a powerful move, but from how heavily your eye is bleeding, I'm guessing that this technique is short lived." Naruto touched his cheek and drew back his finger to see them covered in red.

He grimaced. "Well, I better make this quick then," he muttered as he pushed more chakra into the Sharingan. Flaming sinew and skin grew over the bones of the Susano'o as it grew into a four-armed samurai wielding a wrist crossbow and massive, flaming arrows. Naruto quickly loaded the arrow and shot it at the android.

The android dodged to the left, right into a waiting Connor. The clone grabbed the android by the waist and threw him into the air. Naruto collapsed and his Susano'o vanished as M'gann caught him in the air, steadying him so Artemis could have a clear shot.

Lasers shot from the android's eyes and pieced the arrow in two. He turned his head and M'gann dropped him before he could burn through her. His blast caught her on the shoulder and she spiraled to the ground with a cry. When the android touched down, he raised his hands and the mountain behind him exploded, an erupting of magma shooting into the sky.

"Fall back!" shouted Naruto as the lava began to trickle down the mountain. Connor leapt to him and helped him to his feet.

"You okay?"

Naruto wiped the blood from his cheek and replaced his patch and mask. "I'm fine." Connor grabbed him by the collar and jumped up to higher ground as a lava flow overcame where they had been standing.

"_He's activated a stage two eruption_," said Wally in their minds, "_If it get's to stage three, bye-bye earth_."

"_Hit him with everything!_" called Naruto. Connor, Kaldur, and M'gann ranat him, but he twirled the boys away and a blast of magma shot up besides M'gann. As she reeled back from the heat, Wally dove forwards to catch her and Artemis covered his retreat. Robin tossed his shuriken, but the android caught it. When it exploded in his face, he didn't even seem fazed.

"I'm really starting to hate robots," sighed Naruto. He glanced to the side and saw Zatanna running towards the android. She uttered a spell and golden chains wrapped around its arms, trapping them to its chest.

A burst of water slammed into the android, shoving it back into the magma. "Nice hit!" crowed Robin.

"The hit wasn't mine!" Kaldur replied. From behind him, the androids that had attacked them in the cave emerged and ran passed them. The one that controlled flame barraged the android with fireball after fireball while the other circled it in a pillar of water, cooling the lava at its feet. Red Tornado flew above them all, spinning remorseless wind into the android, distracting it enough the let his siblings do their work.

"Brothers! Sister! Stop!" shouted the android. The three androids grabbed their villainous counterpart and dragged him into the lava, melting as they did. Red Tornado stood above them, slowly sinking into the fires.

Connor ran forwards, but Robin stopped him. "They're too far in!" he said, "You'll either over shoot it or fall in yourself!"

Naruto turned and saw M'gann on the ground. The heat of the earth's core being forced to the surface had left her unconscious. He looked over at Zatanna. "Can you lift him out?"

"He's too far and too heavy!" she cried anxiously, "I don't have that kind of power!" Naruto aimed his hands at her. "What are you doing?! Wait!"

"Mind Transfer Jutsu!" hissed Naruto and he blinked.

He opened his eyes and saw his body on the ground. _What did you do to me?!_ shouted Zatanna, _Get out of my body, demon freak!_

Naruto grit Zatanna's teeth. _So you picked up on that, huh?_

_You're a demon and if you don't get out of my body right now-!_ Naruto felt her struggle against his mind, but there were only rare cases of people overcoming the Mind Transfer Jutsu and this was certainly not one of them.

_Hang on_, he sighed, _You can try to destroy me _after_ I save my friend_.

He lifted her arms and focused. Zatanna's magic was very different from his chakra, but they work along the same basic principles of inner strength. With his naturally powerful life force inhabiting her naturally mystical body, any limits she may have had were beyond shattered. Naruto quickly scanned her mind and found the right spell. "Em ot pu tsil," he called and immediately Tornado rose from the magma. His legs had already been melted away, but the rest of him looked relatively intact.

Connor caught him as he flew towards them and lay him on the ground. The earth shook and the volcano spouted once more. Wally shot over to Tornado and bent down. "Listen!" he cried over the blast of the volcano, "We're on the brink of a stage three eruption! We need to vent the pressure, but the resulting ash cloud will smother the earth! You need to divert it!" Red Tornado nodded in understanding and pushed himself up with his tornados.

Robin pulled up his wrist computer. "I'm triangulating around the pressure focus!" he said, "There, there, and there!"

Artemis watched where he pointed and shot an arrow into each place. They exploded and a massive cloud of black ash vented out of the craters. For a moment, Naruto feared Red Tornado would not be enough. In just a few seconds, the cloud had covered the sky as far as he could see.

But then he saw the cloud begin to swirl into a vacuum. It spiraled upwards as quickly as it had spread out, sucked into Red Tornado's vortex, through the atmosphere, and leaking out into space. Naruto collapsed to Zatanna's knees in relief and exhaustion.

"You know," he said, staring up at the celestial ash, "It's times like these where I realize that even if I can burn people to ash just by looking at them, I'll still never be as strong as some people in this world."

Robin sat down next to him. "What are you talking about? You can burn people just by looking at them? Dude! So can Naruto!"

Naruto blinked and glanced down at his body. "Oh, right."

_Hey, Zatanna? You mind not telling the others about me being part demon? It's kinda something I'd like to keep to myself._

_I'll tell them you're the king of freaking France if you just get out of my body!_ She screamed. Naruto grinned and released his hold on her, floating back into his own body. Zatanna immediately spun away from Naruto and glared at him angrily.

"Zatanna? What's wrong?" asked Robin.

Zatanna shivered as she tried to erase the memory of having a boy in her body as she stared daggers at Naruto. "Nothing," she growled through grit teeth, "Nothing, just…I better get a really good recommendation to the Sentinels of Magic is all."

. . .

Tornado led them voicelessly back to the laboratory hidden underground. There, Robin strapped him to an operating table and carefully dismantled him, fixing what had been damaged in the fight and returning, among other things, the android's voice box. "That should just about do it," he said eventually.

"Yes," said the robot in his usual monotone, "I can speak again."

Kaldur smiled down on the robot. "You were willing to sacrifice yourself for the earth," he said softly.

"Earth would have survived," said Red Tornado, "It is humanity that was saved. Though not by me," he turned his head with a whirl of mechanics, "It is my sister and brother who were the heroes today."

"My point is this," said Kaldur, "You were never the traitor."

"No," confirmed Tornado, "I left to prevent further attacks and to find my creator."

Wally shot up besides the table holding two red, metal legs. "Yo Red! Check it out! We can rebuild you! Make you better, stronger."

Naruto was at the computer consoles and turned away with a sigh. "I activated a Justice League distress signal," he said, "They'll be here soon to check things out."

"There goes our cover," sighed Robin.

Naruto glanced over to where M'gann was slumped against the computers. "At this point, cover is the least of my worries."

Zatanna sighed and Robin patted her on the back. "Thinking of your dad?"

"No," she said with a smile, "I'm thinking of how much trouble you'll be in when I tell him you kidnapped me."

There was a pause before Artemis broke out into a grin. "Oh, she's gonna fit in great."

Connor was in the corner of the room, brooding. But he finally stepped into the light. "Why did you volunteer to be our den mother in the first place?" he demanded, glaring at Tornado.

"I was the logical choice," explained the robot, "I do not require sleep. I have no secret identity or second life to live."

"But you do have advanced A.I. programming," said Wally thoughtfully, "Designed to learn, adapt, and evolve with your surroundings."

"Of course!" nodded Artemis, "You wanted to be more human! And you couldn't do that with the League, their stiffs!"

"I do not know if these statements are accurate," said Tornado slowly, "But perhaps they are true. If I am using the term correctly, I believe I have come to…care…for you all."

A smile crept across Connor's face. "See," he said softly, "Practically a meatbag already."

. . .

To say that Zatara and Black Canary were furious when Green Lantern returned them to the Cave would be an insult to furious people. Steam was practically coming out of their ears. Captain Marvel was also upset, but he was more annoyed that the only person he'd had to hang with that afternoon had been Wolf.

Needless to say, Zatanna had been yanked from the premises and punishments had been dished out in equal measure to the entire team.

As the others went home, Naruto found himself on the beach once again. It seemed to be a wonderful place to sit, think, and relax. As the waves moved in and out, he heard the crunching of sand behind him. He looked over as M'gann sat down next to him. "Hey."

"Hey. You alright?"

She waved his concern away. "A few minutes in an ice bath and I'm fine. You?"

Naruto lay back in the sand and wrapped his hands behind his head. "I'm okay."

"Batman took Red Tornado to the Batcave to rebuild him and Connor's on trash duty at the Hall of Justice, so we have the Cave to ourselves tonight."

"Oh, cool."

M'gann rested her head on her knees and tilted her head as she gazed contentedly down at Naruto. "What are you thinking about?"

Naruto shrugged. "I'm thinking about how I have to help Dr. Occult move into the Tower of Fate. I'm thinking of putting him in the room between the bathroom that's been broken since '58 and the Infernal Maze. If I'm lucky, he'll get lost in there and nobody'll have to deal with him for another few centuries."

"Yeah, he was kinda snobby," agreed M'gann with a giggle, "Overall, did you have a good day?"

"I've had worse."

"Well that's not good. Of all days, you should have fun on this day."

Naruto glared up at her. "What are you talking about?"

"It's October tenth."

"Yeah, so?"

"It's your birthday, silly!"

Naruto sat up. "How did you know that?"

M'gann smiled sweetly at him. "When I made the psychic link, your subconscious pushed that information to the front of your mind."

Naruto blinked and smirked. _My subconscious, huh?_

Kurama chuckled. "**You didn't really think I'd forgotten, did you?**"

"You've got to understand," he said, "My birthday isn't the happiest day for me."

"So let's change that," M'gann pulled her cloak to the side to reveal a small cupcake with a lit candle on it, "Happy birthday, Naruto."

Naruto took the small treat and looked wide-eyed back and forth between the candle and M'gann. "You lit a fire for me?"

"Uh-huh."

"And carried it close to your body all the way out here?"

"Correct."

"What flavor is it?"

"Would you believe me if I said ramen?"

Naruto stared at her. "No way."

M'gann laughed and Naruto positively melted at the sound. "I worked with Warden Jones on the recipe. You remember, from Rikers?" Naruto kept his eyes on M'gann as he blew out the candle and picked it out of the cupcake. "Did you make a wish?"

"Yes."

"What was it?"

"If I tell you, it won't come true, right?"

M'gann smirked. "We sound like dialogue from a bad romance movies."

"Good thing you like bad romance movies." M'gann smiled and leaned in.

She pressed her lips gently against Naruto's and he pressed back with tender passion. His mind melted as his heart beat out of his chest. They'd kissed before, but this was deeper, more loving, and even sensual. Eventually, Naruto pulled away gently. "See?" he whispered to her, "My wish came true before I even ate my cake."

M'gann leaned in and kissed his neck with a hum. "Eat your cake, knuckle-head." Naruto smiled and unwrapped the treat. He took a bite and gasped as the salty, pure taste of pork ramen filled his mouth. "Mmm, you like it?"

Naruto grabbed M'gann by the arms and stared her directly in the eyes. "This is the greatest thing I have ever put in my mouth," he said with dead seriousness as he took another bite, "Let's change that." He dove forwards and his mouth hit hers with desperate love that only teenagers can provide. His tongue flitted within her mouth, exploring every possible inch he could reach as her tongue put up a pitiful resistance before surrendering to the pleasure. He lay the cupcake to the side and rolled on top of her.

"I forgot to ask," M'gann panted as Naruto plunged his face into her neck, "How old are you?"

"Eighteen," he said, his voice muffled by her body.

"Mmm. So you're a man now?"

"Not yet."

"Oh," she whispered as he stood and picked her up bridal style, "Oh!"

Naruto stroked her face as he carried her forwards, looking lovingly into her eyes as they entered the Cave. "Are we really doing this?" he asked softly.

"Consider it your birthday gift," she said with a coy grin.

"My room or yours?"

"Do you mind mine?"

"Not at all." Naruto carried her to her room and opened the door. He gently lay her on the bed and crawled over her. "Before we start," he said softly as he nibbled gently on her ear, "Anything I should know?"

"I don't know," M'gann gasped, "Just keep doing what you're doing."

Naruto broke into feral grin. "Yes dear."

. . .

Thanks for the reviews! Keep 'em coming!

Quick question: Did I go too far with that end scene? Not far enough? Do Naruto and M'gann have enough chemistry to carry a love scene like that?

P.S. Props to Dr. Occult, one of the most underrated characters in the DC Universe. Sorry I made you a complaining old geezer, but the possibilities were to tempting.


	17. Failsafe pt 1, Naruto Unleashed

Same disclaimers and italics as before.

Chapter 17: Failsafe pt.1, Naruto Unleashed

No scientist or astronomer saw it coming. It had hidden itself cleverly behind Earth's revolving moon for the duration of its approach to the planet. Now, however, the massive, grotesque spacecraft made itself known as it rose over the moon and slowly descended towards the earth.

The first to respond was that Justice League, who followed their set parameters for the situation. Two of Earth's Green Lanterns, their dutiful celestial defenders, led the squad of heroes designated to make first contact. "Attention," called one of them as the world watched through Batman's camera sensors, "You have entered the boundaries of Earth space. Disable all weapons and engines. This is your only warning."

The world watched with bated breath for the alien's response, but they didn't have to wait long. A beam of red light shot from the craft and hit the two Lanterns head on. Screams could be heard across the globe as the heroes were disintegrated. Several other heroes who could survive the vacuum of space were deployed, but they were made short work of.

The team was assembled in the Cave, watching the events unfold. Naruto felt Connor tense up as Superman vanished in a flash of red and M'gann sighed unhappily as her uncle was vanquished.

The massive ship began releasing smaller vessels, an armada of war ships built for one purpose: destruction. There was a beeping and Zatara appeared on one of the holoscreens. "Tornado," he said in shock, "Did…did you-?"

"Yes, Zatara, we saw," said Tornado, his fingers flying over the holographic

keyboard, "Cosmic defenses have failed. Initiate all planetary measures."

Zatara shook himself out of his stupor. "Affirmative."

His message feed was cut off and Red Tornado turned back to the team. "I am needed in the field. The League will defend the planet at all costs, but should we fail," his mechanical eyes scanned the team, "The responsibility falls to you."

"Understood," said Naruto, cracking his neck, "We're ready."

Tornado left the cave and the team watched as news feeds from around the globe reported on the alien attack. Fires and riots broke out in cities as the attacks descended upon them. As they watched, the entire Justice League was taken down one by one. Naruto watched it all sadly, but calmly. The others quietly mourned the loss of their mentors and heroes while he studied the enemy, learning their attack patterns and maneuverability. After only about an hour, a message came through to the Cave. "Red Tornado to Shinobi," said the android, "I fear I am all that remains of the League." There was a rush of static as the line was cut.

Naruto glanced up at the news feed and watched as the alien mothership fell to earth, completely engulfing a small town in Kansas and the entire surrounding area. The ship itself was the size of a large city.

"We are Earth's heroes now," said Kaldur as Naruto closed the holoscreens.

"So what are we waiting for?" asked Connor, "A theme song?"

"A strategy," said Naruto, "We need a plan. Obviously, nothing we've thrown at them so far has been effective."

"So our first order of business is to find something that can hurt them," Artemis said,

Naruto nodded in agreement and Robin fiddled with his wrist computer. A holographic globe appeared, covered in splotches of red dots. "Here's where the aliens are now," he said.

Connor nodded towards the Arctic Circle. "This one get lost?" A singular red dot was roaming around the 30th parallel near Greenland.

"Dude!" whispered Robin in awe, "That's Superman's Fortress of Solitude!"

Connor blinked. "Superman has a fort of what?"

"Its power source must have attracted a scouting ship," said Wally, rubbing his chin.

"Must be some fortress," Connor muttered.

M'gann patted him gently. "Connor-"

"It's okay," he sighed, "I guess there's a lot Superman won't be able to tell me, you know, now."

Naruto turned and headed for the hangar, the team behind him. "Seven heroes and a genetically advanced dog against one alien ship. I like those odds. We'll track it down and see what we can learn about it."

"Yeah!" snarled Wally, "Bring it down and reverse engineer our own! We can hit those ugly aliens with their own mojo!"

Naruto sighed. "Artemis, slap him for me."

"With pleasure," grinned Artemis as she whacked Wally across the head.

"Hey!"

"Kryptonian and Martian in the house, moron," she smirked as she passed him into the Bioship.

"Oh, right," Wally realized with a blush, "Not that, uh, all, um, aliens are, ah, automatically ugly, right green cheeks?" M'gann rolled her eyes as she took her seat in the pilot's chair and took off over Happy Harbor. Her weariness of Wally's pathetic flirtations and his obliviousness to her relationship with Naruto was beginning to show.

"M'gann, do we have polar gear?" asked Naruto. She nodded and white, insulated uniforms fell from compartments in the ceiling, each of their seats were covered by the Bioship's organic skin to make changing rooms while they dressed for a colder climate. Naruto's winter gear consisted of a white pair of thermal pants and boots. His polar jacket was a thick, white windbreaker with a faux-fur-lined hood. He slipped into it and placed his mask on before flipping up his hood.

. . .

Naruto had never been so far north before, but it reminded him of the Land of Iron. True there were more mountains and fewer trees, but it still felt like the same general place. The Bioship hovered behind the scout ship in camouflage mode as the scout slowly circled a massive, steel door built into a mountain with the 'S' shield emblazoned on it.

Robin looked over the strange ship critically. "There," he said, pointing to a small orb on the ship's arm, "That's their communications."

Naruto took a deep breath. "Okay," he said, "We'll drop down and take cover. When we're all in position, Ms. Martian will disable their communications and engines. Artemis, blind them. Aqualad, come up from beneath and keep their gun pointed down. Superboy, you and Wolf rip up the gun. Robin will show you where it connects with the ship so you can take it off without breaking it. Once the gun's removed, Ms. Martian will integrate it into the Bioship, giving us access to their technology.

"What about us?" asked Wally, pointing back and forth between Naruto and himself.

"You run a perimeter," said Naruto, "It wouldn't surprise me if the ship has an automatic distress beacon separate from the communications array. The last thing we need is more ships finding us. Once the gun is removed, I'll break open the ship and take the aliens hostage. Everyone get it?"

Naruto saw nods all around and nodded to M'gann. She closed her eyes and established a mental link between the team. The Bioship drifted close to the ground and the team jumped out of the back, quickly diving behind snow banks and ice formations to stay hidden from the scout ship. "_Everyone in position?_" he asked. Once every team member had confirmed they were ready, Naruto gave the signal. As he watched, the communications array suddenly exploded from the inside out, ripped apart by M'gann's telekinesis.

"_Communications, check,_" she said. There was another explosion in the ship and it fell with a hard thud onto the ice. "_Engines, check._"

Artemis rolled out from behind a pile of snow and loosed an arrow at the ship. As it hit the tinted visor, it exploded into high-density foam that covered the entire hull. "_That should do it! Aqualad, you're up!_" The gun began to swivel and shoot wildly. Naruto ducked to the side as a beam of red light shot past him, leaving a carved out crater in the snow behind him. The ice beneath the ship suddenly erupted as Kaldur pulled the hull under water. The gun swiveled towards him and Naruto's heart skipped a beat.

Wolf and Connor grabbed the gun and shoved it out of the way just in time for the blast to hit the ice next to Kaldur. Connor got under the gun with a grunt and began to pull hard. Wally spun Robin into the air and the boy wonder landed on the ship next to Connor as Wally shot off into the distance. Robin opened his wrist computer and analyzed the gun's connection to the ship. "_Stress points here, here, and here,_" he pointed out on the gun. M'gann blasted the areas with her powers and Connor began to double his efforts.

As the metal started to rip and tear, a few wires fell from the connection. Wolf growled and tackled Connor out of the way just as two wires sparked and a red beam engulfed Wolf, disintegrating him out of existence. Connor stumbled back and fell off the ship in surprise.

Naruto stared at the place where Wolf had just been. _It's like the Tsuchikage's Particle Style Jutsu_.

"**Except there's countless more where that came from.**"

"_Wolf_," thought Connor sadly.

"_There was no indication of feedback,_" said Robin softly, "_I'm sorry._"

"_Can't do anything for him now,_" sighed Connor as he jumped back onto the ship and grabbed the gun. With a mighty grunt, he ripped it from the ship. M'gann brought the Bioship around and Connor held the gun over the cabin area.

"_I'll need to de-camouflage to integrate the gun,_" she said as the Bioship became visible and reached up to grip the gun's base, "_This'll take a few minutes_."

"_Guy!_" shouted Wally as he speed behind them, "_Two ships! Closing fast!_"

Naruto clenched his fists and sat down. He took a deep breath and began absorbing natural energy. "_Ms. Martian! Shoot them down!_"

"_Weapons are offline to incorporate the new cannon!_"

"_Gotcha covered!_" shouted Artemis, "_Get inside!_" Naruto stood up, his eyes shadowed by the tell-tale orange of Sage Mode. He formed two clones behind him and they began swirling chakra as Artemis shot down one of the ships. It exploded and a piece of shrapnel stabbed into the ice next to her feet. She yelped and made a bee line for the Bioship. The other ship swung around and came in for a second run.

"Wind Style!" hissed Naruto as he loosed the attack, "Rasenshuriken!" The ship managed to fire a single shot before the Rasenshuriken sliced it to pieces, but one shot was all it took. Artemis was struck square in the back and Naruto got a good look at her expression of fear before her body disintegrated before his eyes.

"ARTEMIS!" screamed M'gann in horror. Naruto stared at the place where she had stood. Her footprints were still fresh in the snow.

"Artemis," Wally stumbled back against the hull of the Bioship, "No. No. Nononononono."

Connor and Robin grabbed him and took him inside the Bioship, but his cries of anguish were still audible. Naruto left Sage Mode and staggered back to the ship. _Kurama,_ he whispered in his mind, _What now?_

"**This is no longer a battle,**" said Kurama seriously, "**This is war. We need to mobilize. The mourning comes later.**"

Naruto slowly nodded and approached M'gann, her eyes fixed on where Artemis had disappeared. "We need to go," he said softly. She nodded as if in a trance and floated back into the Bioship. Kaldur walked behind her. Before he entered the ship, he hesitated. In the flash of an eye, he turned and drew his water bearers. With a flick of his wrist, the ship they had ripped the gun from flew into the air, propelled by a jet of water. The water froze into icicles and ripped through the ship, making it explode.

Naruto wanted to say something about how they could have used the hostages, but he met Kaldur's eyes and just nodded in approval as they entered the Bioship together. "They're all dead!" hissed Wally from his seat, "All of them! Every single one! If it's the last thing I do!"

Naruto took his seat wordlessly and glanced back at M'gann. The shock seemed to have worn off and tears flowed freely from her wet eyes. "N-now what?" she asked.

"The world needs to know they still have defenders," said Robin, "I say we head for the Hall of Justice. Make a stand there."

Naruto nodded. "I agree. Hope and motivation is a powerful weapon, one the Earth desperately needs. Set a course for Washington."

. . .

The ride to Washington was quiet and solemn, the only thing that happened being the team changing out of their polar gear. Once they reached the city, that all changed. As M'gann circled into towards the Hall, they saw that a large military unit was already defending the position from a large contingent of ships. Their conventional weapons, including tanks, seemed to do some damage, but the ships were so fast and agile that they wove through machine gun fire. Naruto looked down on the ships disdainfully. "Hey Connor," he said, "Wanna hit stuff?" Connor replied by cracking his neck. He and Naruto stood up and M'gann opened a hatch for them. They leapt out and landed on one of the ships, making a crater in the roof. As Connor beat the ship down, Naruto leapt to another ship and moved his mask and eye patch

"Sasuke was better at this than I was," he hissed as he molded chakra into his eyes, "But I can manage. Inferno Style! Flame Control!" Amaterasu burst from his eye and swirled into the shape of a giant battle axe. Naruto snarled as he clove the ship in two, leaving it in twin flaming pieces. The fire disappeared from his hand as he put his mask and patch back into position and he tossed a kunai to the ground. He Hiraishined to it just as Connor drove his ship into the earth and M'gann shot down the last one with the Bioship. The military personnel seemed stunned as they watched the enemy be taken down, but cheers went up as M'gann uncloaked the Bioship and familiar heroes began to step out.

One of the soldiers caught sight of Connor's chest. "See!" he said excitedly, "I told you Superman wouldn't abandon us!"

"I'm not Superman," Connor snapped.

"I don't know who you are, son," said a gruff, gray-haired man with four stars across his cap, "And frankly, I don't care. You wear the 'S' and you got the job done."

"I'm not Superman," Connor protested softly.

Naruto stepped forwards and the man saluted. "General Wade Eiling," he introduced himself, "United States Air Force."

"Shinobi," said Naruto with a nod, "Justice League. Good work keeping the enemy out of the Hall. We'll use it as a base of operations until we can mount a counter-offensive."

"Very good, sir," nodded Eiling, "What's our next move?"

Naruto thought for a moment. "Pull your men back into the Hall," he said, "My team will work on overriding the Justice League systems to gain access to their archives and armory. With the right combination of both, we can defend the Hall until we can amass a force large enough to take the fight to the enemy."

"Understood," said Eiling with another salute, "Men! Fall back to the Hall! I want defensive sentries posted at every line of sight! If so much as one enemy ship gets within a mile of this place without me knowing about it, I'll make sure to use you as cannon fodder!" Naruto motioned to the team and they followed him into the Hall.

The main lobby of the Hall housed several large statues of the founding heroes of the Justice League, still standing proud amongst the ruins of the city. Robin gazed up at the statue of Batman. "They're really gone," he murmured, "It never really hit me, but they're gone."

Connor stared at the statue of Superman and his chest rose and fell with his angry breath. He grabbed a chunk of rubble from the floor and hurled it with a frustrated yell. The stone hit Superman in the jaw and the entire statue shook. Superman's head tumbled off and knocked into the Martian Manhunter's arm, sending the other statue crashing to the floor. "Superboy!" Naruto snarled. Connor sighed apologetically and walked sat down besides Superman's dismembered head.

M'gann flew over to the fallen idol of her uncle and began to weep. Naruto walked over to her and lay a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently. "Is this what it's like?" she whispered, "Is this war?"

Naruto looked around at the soldiers as they shuffled into the sanctuary of the Hall. Ten minutes ago, he would have seen overwhelming fear in their eyes, but the arrival of their heroes, their defenders, it had filled their faces with determined hope. Naruto nodded. "Yes, honey," he said softly so only she could hear him, "This is war. But that's a good thing."

M'gann stared up at him, tears soaking her cheeks. "How? How is this at all good?" Naruto bent down besides her and wiped away her tears, his cerulean blue eye meeting her hazel ones through his mask.

"Because it means we have a fighting chance," he said, "You see these men? You see how determined they are to protect what they love at all costs? In my world, we called that the Will of Fire: the ability to sacrifice everything for the sake of what we loved. It was the Will of Fire that made men into ninjas, ninja into warriors, warriors into heroes, and heroes into legends. So long as we have the Will of Fire," he helped M'gann to her feet and hugged her tightly, "We have something worth fighting for."

M'gann sighed into Naruto's chest. "Thank you," she whispered. Suddenly, she flew back, her eyes wide. "Did you feel that?"

Naruto blinked. "Feel what?"

M'gann didn't respond. She reached out with her telekinesis and lifted the fallen statue of the Martian Manhunter. As it slowly rose, Naruto caught a flash of green skin and a blue cape as a figure rolled out from underneath it. "Impossible," he whispered as M'gann's uncle slowly stood up and gripped his head.

"Uncle J'onn!" M'gann squealed as she dropped his statue and dove in to hug her uncle. J'onn seemed dazed and confused as he looked bewildered around the Hall. Before M'gann could reach him, Kaldur leapt in front of her.

"Read his mind!" he called, "Make sure he is whom he appears to be."

"It's him!" cried M'gann, "He's real! And he's alive!"

"Impossible," Naruto repeated, "We saw you get disintegrated!"

"And Superman!" Connor put forth, "And everyone!"

"Yes," said J'onn slowly as M'gann helped him up, "I remember, but…I cannot remember how I survived, or how I came to be here of all places."

"Maybe you were density shifting!" said M'gann with wide eyes, "And the beam went right through you!"

"Scrambling your brains in the process!" cried Robin, "Of course!"

"My mind _is_ clouded," said J'onn, "I feel there was something I was supposed to tell you…"

Wally gasped. "Dude! I can't believe I didn't realize it!" He shot back out of the Hall and the rest of the team except Naruto started to follow. J'onn floated alongside M'gann out towards the Bioship.

Naruto frowned. _An interesting development._

"**This smells fishier that Gyuki's tails,**" snarled Kurama, "**In fact, this whole thing is off. I feel like there's something all around us, yet nowhere near us. Like we're being watched or something.**"

_Hmm,_ Naruto glanced up at the remaining statues, _I know it might be redundant to say this at the cusp of the apocalypse, but I don't like this, Kurama, I don't like this at all._

"**On the other hand,**" Kurama put forth, "**This might be a good time to initiate Operation Alliance**."

_I'll think about it._ Naruto turned and walked out of the Hall to the others.

When Wally spotted him, he dashed forwards and grabbed Naruto by the shoulders, a wide grin splitting his face. "Dude! The cannon gives off Zeta radiation! This thing doesn't disintegrate, it teleports! Artemis is alive! And so is everyone else!"

Naruto's eye narrowed. "Cool, now get down!" He grabbed Wally by the head and shoved the speedster to the ground as a beam of red light shot between them and scooped out the cement at their feet. Around them, soldiers began to cry out in panic as enemy ships rained down from the sky.

Kaldur threw a wall of water in front of the team, but the beams tore through it, missing Robin by a hair. "Fall back!" called General Eiling, "To the inner sanctum!"

"Ms. Martian!" Naruto called, "Camo the Bioship!" In a classic case of too little, too late, a beam struck the Bioship and it vanished. M'gann and J'onn fell, blown away by the psychic backlash. Naruto scooped up the two Martians and wrapped their arms over his shoulders.

M'gann leaned into him, her eyes wide. "That didn't feel like…" she breathed.

"C'mon!" Naruto shouted to the others, "To the inner sanctum! We can Zeta to the Cave!" The others nodded and fell in behind Naruto as they ran into the Hall.

He led them into the inner sanctum and glanced back at the soldiers that had managed to follow them. Several set up point at the door, ready for any unwelcome intruders. "J'onn! Override the Tube clearance!" Naruto ordered, "Everyone else, get ready!"

"I can only authorize one at a time," wheezed J'onn.

"Then the soldiers first!"

"Bellay that!" shouted Eiling as he stomped up to them, "You folks are assets we cannot afford to lose!"

"Urgh! Fine!" Naruto spun and formed a small army of Shadow Clones. "Give us time!" The clones nodded and ran out of the room. Seconds later, the building began to shake and quake as they ran havoc against the enemy.

J'onn hacked the security systems and Naruto watched as he, M'gann, Wally, Robin, and Connor left. Every few seconds, he tensed up as another of his clones was struck down. "C'mon, c'mon!" he hissed under his breath, "Faster!" The wall of the room burst open as enemy ships began to fire in. The soldiers returned fire, but their handheld weapons bounced off the ships' hulls, leaving only small dents. Naruto drew his kunai, but his eye was drawn across the room. General Eiling was trapped under a fallen braced from the ceiling and was firing a small machine gun as he struggled to get his leg loose. Naruto tossed the kunai over to him and Hiraishined to it. Pumping chakra into his arms, he pushed up the heavy slab of concrete with a grunt, using it as a shield from further attacks.

He grabbed his kunai and Eiling. He tossed the kunai back to the Zeta Tube and Hiraishined himself and Eiling over to it. "Him next!" he shouted to Kaldur.

"No!" shouted the General, "The world needs-" Naruto shut him up by shoving him into the light of the Zeta Tube.

"Kaldur! Your-" Naruto felt something push him and he turned back as he stumbled into the light. Kaldur gave him one last smile before the red light stuck him.

The light faded and Naruto tumbled to the floor of the Cave's main hall. Naruto scrambled to his feet and glared at the dark tube. "Kaldur," he murmured sadly.

"Naruto?" He turned to see the others looking at him expectantly. M'gann's eyes were watery. "Kaldur?"

"No," he said softly.

"It's fine!" Wally insisted, "He's just been teleported, remember?" Naruto glanced at Robin and their eyes met. An unspoken understanding passed between them and Naruto nodded.

"Right, teleported. Which means our next objective is clear: break out the prisoners and take the alien hoard by storm."

Robin activated the holoscreens and scrolled through them. "The only reasonable detention facility would be their mothership over what used to be Smallville, Kansas." He pointed it out on the map and Naruto nodded.

"J'onn, this ring any bells?"

The Martian blinked and rubbed his head. "Uh, no. I'm sorry."

"It's fine," sighed Naruto, "Okay. We have some work to do. I'm initiating Operation Alliance."

Connor blinked. "What?"

Naruto started to pace around the hall. "When my world was threatened by an overpowering force, the five Kage pooled their resources and Ninja to create the Allied Ninja Forces to do what no single village could do alone."

"Sort of like the Justice League, right?" Wally offered.

Naruto glanced over at him. "A Justice League 80,000 strong, yes. It was made up of ninja from the five great villages. These were people who had been warring for generations; at each other's throat to avenge their friends in family who were killed as an act of revenge themselves. But when the chips were down and the existence of life as they knew it was threatened, they had no problem working together to save the future."

Robin slapped his forehead. "I know where this is going and you can't be serious."

"I'm dead serious."

"What's happening here?" asked Wally in confusion.

Robin glared at Naruto. "He wants to use the prisoners in Belle Reve as an army against the aliens!"

"Not just the prisoners," said Naruto, "But the League of Shadows, the forces of Atlantis, and any other recruits we can scrounge up from across the world."

"Impossible," said Connor, folding his arms, "There's no way any of them would fight with us."

"They don't have a choice," said M'gann softly, "This is their world too and they have just as much a will to defend it. The Will of Fire."

Naruto nodded and began to snap out orders. "M'gann, without Kaldur, you're the only one who can survive in Atlantis. Zeta there and tell whoever's in charge down there what we know and what we're planning. General Eiling, the Cave can access any frequency you need to get in touch with surviving soldiers world wide. Try and recruit as many as possible. I don't care if it's one guy with a slingshot in Turkey, it's better than nothing. Nobody is off limits. Robin, Zeta to Louisiana and speak with Warden Strange. Strong arm him if you have to. Explain the situation to the prisoners and they will follow you. Wally, get me a camera and a live feed into every satellite network across the globe. Connor, you're going back to Cadmus. See if you can convince the Genomorphs to fight with us." Everyone stood and stared at him as if he'd grown a second head. He glared at each of them in turn and sucked in breath. "DID I STUTTER?!" They all shook their heads vehemently and Naruto stared at them pointedly. As one, they burst away from him and began working on their assigned duties.

"What am I to do, Shinobi?" asked J'onn.

"Get some rest," sighed Naruto, "I need you to remember anything you can tell us about what happened to you. When you've recovered enough, I need you to get in contact with the Martians. It stands to reason that once they're done here, the aliens will march on Mars." J'onn nodded and floated through a wall towards the nearest bedroom.

Naruto flipped through practiced hand signs and bit his thumb until he drew blood. "Summoning Jutsu!" He slammed his palm to the floor and, with a burst of smoke; three tall creatures appeared with their tails flicking nervously.

"**Sensei**," Kokuo bowed low, "**We were just about to discover what the League of Shadows meant by 'Red Son'. Why have you called us back?**"

"Reveal yourselves to the Shadows," Naruto ordered, "Tell them I'm putting together a combined assault with other major forces. If they don't understand, just remind Hanabi and Hiruzen about the Allied Ninja Forces, alright?"

Saiken nodded. "**We gets it, boss!**"

Son grunted. "**I'll get the Brain to pitch in. We'll get you a force to be reckoned with, don't worry.**" The Bijuu vanished with a flash of smoke and Naruto took off his mask.

"**Stage one complete,**" noted Kurama.

_Onto stage two. _With an angry grunt, Naruto ripped off his eye patch.

"**Watcha doin' there, kit?**"

_I won't be needing this anymore,_ Naruto replied, _This is no time to be pulling my punches._

. . .

"Ready?" asked Wally as he focused the camera on Naruto.

Naruto cleared his throat. "Let's inform the people."

Wally nodded and turned on the camera. Naruto watched on the holoscreens as his face filled every network known to man. Every teenager with a cell phone, every soldier with a radio, every television around the world was broadcasting his voice and image. For a moment, he almost broke under the pressure, knowing that every eye in the world was on him. Then he remembered Kaldur and Artemis and his resolve hardened.

"Hello," he said simply, gazing into the camera lens, "My name is Shinobi. I'm a hero with the Justice League. I know you probably have never heard of me, but that doesn't matter. What matters right now is that Earth, our planet, is under attack." He hesitated and leaned forwards into the camera. "That is unacceptable. We have already suffered heavy losses, including the Justice League and many other brave soldiers and heroes. But I am here to tell you that all is not lost. I challenge you to look into the eyes of the person next to you. I dare you to see their fear. I am certain you see it in their eyes as they see it in yours. Now I have another challenge for you: show them hope. Let them know that there is still a chance for humanity."

"The Earth is not the enemy's, not yet. So long as a single human survives, so long as one man, woman, or child is willing to fight, to defend what they love and hold dear, than the Will of Fire burns in all of us, and we have hope. The battle is not over, and therefore, neither is the war. It doesn't matter how many fall, because new heroes will always rise to carry on."

Naruto took a deep breath and glared into the camera, his Sharingan spinning. "We are humanity," he said, "And we are unstoppable." He motioned to Wally and the speedster cut the feed. "How was that?"

Wally grinned. "Hammy, but memorable. I liked the thing you did with the dares and stuff."

Naruto nodded and walked away. J'onn approached him from a side hall. "Bad news, I'm afraid," he said, "The Martian Armada will not arrive for another month."

"We can't wait that long," Naruto growled, "We'll have to move without them. Worst case scenario: we lose the battle but weaken the aliens enough that the Martians can steamroll them."

"And when do we start?"

"Now."

. . .

Naruto stood on a rise a few kilometers away from the mothership. Despite his distance, the ship still rose high into the sky, an angry blot against the pink sunset.

Robin stepped up behind him. "The first and second divisions are on standby. And Eiling says his commandos are ready too."

Naruto nodded. "Tell Eiling to give the signal." Across the world, soldiers from various armies and militias were given the order to attack. They ran into the streets, guns and tanks blazing. Chaos reigned in the cities and towns as the armed forces of planet Earth unleashed their full fury upon the invaders all at once. Warlords fought alongside their hired help, shooting RPGs from their penthouse apartments. Veterans dusted off their old weapons and turned their retirement homes into boot camps and barricades. In airfields and ports, remaining planes and ships launched, unloading lead rounds into any alien craft.

However, it was not just the armed forces that received the signal. Within minutes, Shukaku had turned the whole of the Sahara Desert into a raging sandstorm that reached high into the stratosphere and shredded any alien ship that dared enter its airspace. Any ships in the Himalayas were surprised by Matatabi's flash fires that covered the entire mountain range and reached far into the sky. Tsunamis and tidal waves abruptly swirled through the world's oceans, Gyuki and Isobu making it very difficult to travel over seas. Kokuo galloped over the frozen Siberian tundra, raising an ice storm that covered half the continent. Son dashed around the Pacific rim and the ring of fire, mountains exploding as he passed them by. As expected, a large contingent of ships shot out of the mothership and dispersed across the horizon, sent to try and maintain order in various troubled areas around the world.

Naruto closed his eyes and stood still, absorbing the natural energy. As he entered Sage Mode, he sensed the massive armies he'd assembled waiting on the other side of the mothership. Division one was made up of the armies of Atlantis that Queen Mera had happily volunteered to avenge her husband. Thousands of warriors and sorcerers ready with short and long ranged attacks. It stood ready to the north of the mothership.

Division two was formed from the prisoners of Belle Reve penitentiary. It had taken some coaxing, but they had been convinced. Though they were small in number, each one was powerful and brought unique abilities to the battle. Mixed in with them were surviving heroes, both to keep the prisoners in line and to add to the attack. It was to the east of the ship.

Naruto's eyes snapped open. "Charge," he said softly. Robin relayed the message and immediately Naruto heard the sounds of battle. As he watched, the mothership leaked a fleet of ships to combat the attacking armies. He nodded and turned around to face the third division, the entire League of Shadows, behind him. "Infiltrate," he ordered and they rushed by him, barely raising a wind as they dashed towards the ship. They would plant bombs at the base and lower level of the mother ship, destabilizing it while the ships were distracted by the Atlanteans and prisoners. Meanwhile, J'onn would help the team get into the mothership itself to free the prisoners.

"Go," he called back to them, "Send the signal when you're inside and I'll send in division four." A small army of Genomorphs were hidden in the fields and woods surrounding the mothership, waiting patiently for their moment to strike. As M'gann passed, Naruto pulled her aside. "Keep an eye on J'onn," he whispered, "He's still a little iffy." She glanced over at her uncle. He didn't even look like he knew where he was.

She nodded grimly and gazed up at him. "Good luck."

"You too," Naruto hesitated as he brushed some hair out of her face. "I love you."

M'gann smiled softly as she leaned up to kiss him. "I love you too." She backed away and J'onn took her by the hand. She took Connor's hand and he took Robin's who took Wally's. As one, they disappeared into the night.

"**Stage one,**" murmured Kurama, "**Send out the envoys, check. Stage two: assemble the armies, check. Stage three: position them for battle, check. Stage four: initiate attack, check.**"

_Stage five…_

Naruto closed his eyes and sighed as he reached into a nearby bush. He had hidden it from his team, but he now withdrew the gilded Helmet of Fate and stared at it glumly.

"_Naruto, we're inside!_" M'gann called. He nodded and whistled loud and low. As the sound rang out over the fields. The base of the mothership erupted in flames and explosions. There was a slight breeze as the third division fell back, their work done. Naruto twirled the helmet and slipped it one over his head.

Nabu filtered into his mind, but Kurama pushed him back as Naruto gained the power and authority of Dr. Fate. As he rose up above the trees, he gave a simple nod. With a series of animalistic roars, the Genomorphs abandoned their hiding places and charged the mothership.

At this point, the surrounding landscape had been scarred and torn. The mothership itself was tilted to one side and yet, wave after wave of fighter ships flew out from her multiple hangars. Its side was riddled with craters from the Atlantean's magic and the villain's attacks.

But Naruto could sense the tide turning. They'd had the advantage with the element of surprise and the world-wide chaos, but that was quickly being overcome by sheer numbers.

_Stage five,_ he murmured to Kurama as he flew to the west of the mothership, _Unleash my ultimate form. You ready?_

Kurama crouched on all fours and roared mightily. "**Let's go!**" His chakra burned its way through Naruto's body, overloading his chakra network. Naruto's skin became yellow fire. His clothes melted away and became replaced by the yellow and black flaming robes of the Nine-Tails Jinchuuriki. All but the Helmet of Fate, that remained. Kurama's chakra burst out from him, forming the massive, hundred story tall chakra avatar of the Nine-Tailed Fox, with Naruto standing stoically in its gigantic maw.

The avatar's head was covered by a golden head plate, much resembling the Helmet of Fate. _What do you think, Kurama,_asked Naruto as he folded his arms, _Should we go for broke?_

"**Ultimate form, kit! Do it!**"

Naruto smirked and his Sharingan eye blazed. Blood began to pool out of it, but Naruto ignored the pain. "Susano'o!" Kurama's form an helmet were further covered by the purple chakra of the Sharingan's power. "Inferno Style! Flame Control!" The Sharingan was bleeding heavily as the armor of Susano'o became engulfed by the unquenchable black flames of Amaterasu.

"**Oh yeah!**" crowed Kurama, "**Now this is more like it!**" He roared and the sound echoed across the entire planet, rising into the atmosphere before being lost to the depths of space. The sheer force of the yell made the mothership creak and tremble, shifting further into the earth.

"All forces retreat!" Naruto shouted, his voice heard across the hemisphere, "Good work!"

"_Naruto_!" M'gann's voice sobbed in his mind, "_Naruto we…we lost the others. It's just me and Uncle J'onn now. There…there were no prisoners. T-they're all dead!_"

"_Get clear of the mothership_," Naruto snarled.

"_W-we're clear…BY THE MOONS OFMARS! WHAT IS THAT THING?!_"

Naruto didn't reply, but Kurama roared again as his nine tails flicked in excitement behind him as he began to imbue his chakra.

The strength of a regular Tailed Beast Bomb could decimate a mountain. This Tailed Beast Bomb was amplified a hundredfold by the Helmet of Fate, burned with the fires of Amaterasu, and was shot with the force of Susano'o. It hit the mothership like a rocket against a piece of paper. It tore through the ship like it wasn't even there as it demolished the entire structure and the surrounding area.

Naruto panted slightly as he saw the result of his attack. "_It's over_."

"_This mission_," wept M'gann, "_It was a failure…the cost was too high._"

"_Shinobi_," interrupted J'onn, "_Look up._" Naruto looked to the heavens and gasped.

"_No,_" whispered M'gann as a second mothership descended towards Naruto. Kurama snarled and wrapped his tails around the ship as it fell. Aided by Susano'o he slammed it upside down into its predecessor.

"_Another one!_" Naruto spun and swiped at the third mothership. It tilted to the side and tumbled out of the sky. "_Another!_" Kurama leapt up and sank his massive teeth into the fourth mothership and tore it in two. "_Another!_"

"**Kit! I can't keep this up much longer!**"

Naruto gasped as pain spiked through his eye. He shut his Sharingan and the flaming Susano'o faded away. Kurama leapt back as the sixth mothership landed. His chakra sank back into Naruto and his skin and clothes returned to normal.

He landed on a hill besides M'gann and J'onn with a painful thump. "Naruto!" M'gann cried, "What was that?!" she rushed to him and sat at his side as he yanked off the Helmet of Fate.

"It doesn't matter," he sighed as he glared at the latest alien vessel, "We need to get out of here."

"No," said J'onn. Naruto glanced up at him.

"What?"

"We need to end this." That was when J'onn's fist protruded from M'gann's chest. Naruto felt his heart stop as M'gann stared down at her uncle's hand piercing through her heart. She trembled and fell to her knees as his hand slid back out of her body.

"M'gann," Naruto bent over her and lay her on her back, "No. Not you. Please not you. I love you. Please don't die. Please! No! M'gann! I love you! NO!" But M'gann's hazel eyes had already glazed over as she stared sightlessly into the heavens, a permanent look of shock fixed on her face. Naruto hugged her close and felt both blood and tears fall off his face onto her shoulder.

"Impossible." Naruto looked up at J'onn. "Her death should have ended the simulation. How are we still here?"

Naruto gently lay M'gann's body down and looked at J'onn. "I'm going to kill you."

"Wait, Shnobi," protested J'onn, "There's something very wrong here!"

"**Naruto! He's trying to break into your mind!**"

_Keep him out._ Naruto placed a hand over his Sharingan. It still stung, but J'onn had killed M'gann, and there was no mercy in his heart for such an act. _Is this how Sasuke felt?_ he wondered.

"**Kill him,**" snarled Kurama, "**And find out.**"

Naruto moved his hand as J'onn tried to fly away. "Amaterasu!" Never before had a jutsu felt more righteous. J'onn's boot burst into black flame and the Martian screamed. Naruto kept staring at him, letting more and more of his body be engulfed by the fatal attack.

"Shinobi!" screeched J'onn, "Please stop!"

"**Naruto,**" said Kurama slowly, "**Something's very wrong.**" Naruto looked around. The world seemed to be fuzzy, blurring like an impressionist painting. Suddenly, a stab of pain drove through Naruto's skull and he cried out in mental anguish, his screams of pain mimicked by Kurama. J'onn faded from view as well as the rest of the world.

Everything turned white. Then black. Colors and lights flashed indiscriminately and Naruto's mind went into overdrive trying to process everything. Images and places burned like brands in his brain. Kurama arched his back and screeched as Naruto's entire mindscape exploded in a flash of color and memories.

. . .

Naruto winced as sunlight pierced through his thin eyelids. He gently opened his eye and turned his head thoughtfully to the side as he saw the light streaming through a canvas of green leaves. A gentle breeze blew lazily over him and he gently sat up.

_Kurama?_

"**I'm here, kit. Just not entirely sure where 'here' is.**" Naruto looked around. Besides him, M'gann lay in the grass. She blinked as she awoke in the same manner Naruto did.

"Uh, where are we?" she asked sleepily as she sat up.

"I'm not sure," said Naruto as he stood up and helped her to her feet. He frowned slightly as he looked into M'gann's face.

"What?" she asked as she arched an eyebrow at him.

"Nothing," he said slowly.

"Hey, guys!" Naruto turned as Robin and Wally crawled out of some bushes.

"You know what happened to us?" asked Wally, rubbing his head.

"Looks like we're in a forest of some kind," said Naruto as he looked around.

"A brilliant observation," Connor dropped from a tree as Wolf emerged from behind it.

Kaldur pushed aside some branches and walked out to join the group. Artemis crawled out from some bushes. Wally blinked in surprise and relief when he saw her. "Artemis! Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she groaned, "At least, I think so. No broken bones and stuff. But I can't really remember…Dad!" She threw up her hands in exasperation. "I swear, if this is one of his stupid games-"

"Enough," sighed Naruto, "Let' go over the facts here. We don't know where we are. Last thing I remember…" Naruto hesitated and blinked. "You know what," he said, "I don't remember. I mean, I know who all you are. I know what we've done together. But I just can't think of where I was before I woke up here."

"Me neither," groaned M'gann, trying to focus her mind, "It's like something is keeping me from remembering."

"Um, guys," hissed Robin, "Make no sudden movements."

"Why?" asked Wally.

"Because a wild dog is staring at us." Naruto slowly turned around. A large, shaggy white dog was peering at them from across the peering. Wolf growled softly and Connor petted him to try and calm him down. The dog tilted his head to the side as he sniffed the air before he simply turned and left through the foliage.

Naruto's jaw slowly dropped to the ground. "No way," he whispered, "It's impossible. Downright impossible."

"Naruto?" said Kaldur as Naruto slowly walked towards where the dog had vanished.

"I know that dog," said Naruto in shock, "I know that dog!" He picked up his pace and began to run into the forest. He wove between trees, trying desperately to keep the white, wagging tail in his sight. The others were following behind him, but he didn't care. All that mattered was the dog.

After a few minutes of running, he stumbled out of the forest onto a wide, dirt path. Naruto stared at the ground and bent down as the other caught up to him. "I know this road," he whispered, "I know this road."

M'gann gasped behind him. "Naruto! Naruto, look!" Naruto slowly raised his head and saw what she was pointing out.

"**Oh, kit,**" breathed Kurama, "**Oh, oh oh oh.**" Up the road was a large orange wall. It was broken by a pair of massive, green doors covered in red kanji. Beyond the wall, Naruto saw a large red mansion and beyond that, a huge mountainside decorated with five giant faces.

"Sooo do we know where we are now?" asked Connor as Naruto stood up.

M'gann put her hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Naruto," she whispered, "You don't think…" Naruto shot off towards the wall before she could finish. The world around him was a blur as he moved like a bullet. He skidded to a halt at the gates and his eyes fixed on the white dog. It was sitting happily before a young man with brown hair and a baggy black shirt and pants. Twin streaks of red marred his cheeks, shaped like the canine fangs of a canine.

"There you are, Akamaru!" chuckled the young man, "Where've you been all day?" The dog bark and motioned back towards Naruto. The young man looked up and his eyes widened. "Naruto?! Is that you?"

"Kiba," Naruto breathed, "Where am I?"

Kiba Inuzuka blinked in confusion before he smirked. "Naruto, you've been gone a while but I thought you'd remember good old Konoha!"

"Konoha," Naruto leaned back and gazed up at the faces of the Hokage, which seemed to be almost smiling down on him, "I'm home."

. . .

To be continued…

. . .

Thanks for the reviews! Keep 'em coming!

I've been looking forwards to this chapter since day one, so I hope I did a good job with it! Don't worry, all will be revealed!


	18. Failsafe pt2, Konoha Perfected

Same disclaimers and italics as before.

Chapter 18: Failsafe pt. 2, Konoha Perfected

Naruto winced as the pale fist slammed down on the wooden desk. The wood splintered and shattered under the monster strength of the Fifth Hokage. Shizune sighed off to the side. "Lady Tsunade, that's the third desk this month," she groaned, "We're going to have to start dipping into the village funds soon!"

The lovely woman's pretty face was marred by ugly rage, her milky skin burning red in anger as she stared Naruto into the ground. "A YEAR AND A HALF!" she roared, the force of her voice making Naruto's hair blow back from his face, "A YEAR AND A HALF WITHOUT SO MUCH AS A SINGLE MESSEGE! NARUTO UZUMAKI, YOU'RE A DEAD MAN!"

"I-it's not my fault, Granny!" Naruto protested, "I was trapped in another dimension!"

Tsunade reached across the ruins of her desk and grabbed Naruto by the shirt. She yanked him close to her, so her snarling face was inches from his own. "If you think that pathetic lie will serve as an excuse, you're even dumber than you were before you left!" With an angry yell, she lifted Naruto over her head and tossed him across her office. M'gann and Connor ducked out of the way as Naruto slammed into the wall behind them.

Naruto fell to the ground with a groan. "Yup," he muttered as he pushed himself up, "That's Granny Tsunade for you."

"Uh, excuse me," said Robin timidly, "But will somebody please explain to me what the heck is going on?"

Tsuande brushed herself off and smiled brightly at the strangers that had arrived with Naruto. "Where are my manners? Welcome to Konahagakure, the Village Hidden in the Leaves. I am Tsuande, Fifth Hokage, Slug Princess, and heir of the Senju Clan."

"You forgot Legendary Sucker," muttered Naruto. Tsunade grabbed her chair and tossed it at Naruto, hitting him head on and knocking him to the ground.

"And that's the second chair," sighed Shizune, "Maybe we should invest in some anger management books."

"Greetings, your highness," Kaldur bowed respectfully, "I am called Aqualad. This is Robin, Kid Flash, Superboy, Ms. Martian, Artemis, Wolf, and apparently you know our leader, Shinobi." Each of them bowed in turn and Tsuande fixed an incredulous stare at Naruto, who slowly rose to his feet, nursing the bump that was forming on his head.

"Leader, huh?" she smirked, "I guess you really were the right pick for Sixth Hokage. Well, any friends of Naruto are allies to the Leaf." She clapped her hands and a tell-tale sneer crossed her face. "Tell you what, the return of the Hero of the Hidden Leaf calls for a celebration!" She stared at the remnants of her desk and clucked in annoyance. "Shizune, order me a new desk, won't you?"

"Of course, milady," Shizune groaned, "Oak or mahogany this time?"

"I'm thinking oak with a nice bronze finish," Tsunade waved it away, "But I'm getting ahead of myself." She reached down and grabbed a small scroll from what used to be her desk and a small pen from her expansive cleavage. Wally nearly fainted at the sight. Tsuande walked to the wall and used it as a writing surface. "Take this to Ichiraku Ramen."

She tossed the scroll to Naruto and he caught it. "Ichiraku?"

"They'll do the catering," said Tsuande, "I'll book us the private dinning room at Yakiniku Q and invite your whole class!"

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "You'd never be so generous without getting something in return."

Tsuande grinned and swiveled on Shizune. "Shizune!" she snapped, "Break out the fine sake!"

"There it is," muttered Naruto, as Shizune snarled angrily.

"Two years on the wagon and you're willing to give it up?"

"It's a special occasion!"

"C'mon guys," Naruto sighed, "They'll be like this all day." He turned away and walked out the door, his team following him as he began walking down the winding hallways of the mansion.

"Naruto, I'm just gonna say it," said Connor, "This. Is. Weird."

"Seriously!" agreed Wally in amazement, "We can't remember how we got here, and we have no idea how to get back!"

"M'gann, can you link us up?" asked Robin, "You know, get our memories back like you did in Bialya?"

M'gann focused for a moment but her eyes snapped open in surprise. "I-I don't know what's going on! I can't feel my telepathy!"

"Everyone test your powers!" hissed Artemis. She drew an arrow and landed it in the center of a banner with the symbol of the Hidden Leaf on it. Robin tossed a shuriken and split the arrow in half. Connor grabbed Kaldur and Robin by the arms and lifted them over his head.

"We're all good," he said as he put them down, "You guys?"

Kaldur used his water bearers to spin water out of the tank on his back. "My powers are available to me."

"Mmm, me too," Wally held up a stick with three round dumplings on it.

Naruto blinked. "Is that dango? Where the heck did you get dango?"

Wally shrugged as he bit off one of the dumplings. "I just ran out and found some lady with it and ran back in, like, two seconds."

As if on cue, Naruto heard a cry of despair, confusion, and anger and he rubbed his head, already feeling the migraine forming. "Just don't let Anko know that was you, okay?" he sighed, "She'll kill you. Painfully. With snakes." He brought up his hands and made a handsign, a shadow clone forming next tot him. "My powers are fine," he said as the clone dispersed, "I guess it's just M'gann."

M'gann looked at her hands and pointed them at Wally's dango. One of them drifted off the stick and Wally grabbed it with his teeth. "My telekinesis still works. Is it just my telepathy that isn't working?"

"I don't know," said Naruto, "Look, let's just play this out, okay? We can find out what happened to us later. For now, just keep on your guard and if you see anything unusual, let us know."

"No offense, Naruto," said Robin as Naruto pushed open the doors to the Hokage's manor, "But what constitutes as 'unusual' in this world isn't the same as in our world."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "We're a team of a guy who lived underwater, on another planet, a clone of an alien, a teenage detective, a genetically enhanced dog, an archer, and a kid who can outrun race cars. I doubt anything here could faze you."

"Really?" Wally challenged, twirling the dango stick between his fingers, "'Cause I'm stuck in a weird world with no immediate way to get back home. Consider me fazed."

"Besides," agreed Artemis, "I don't think in our world, we'd have a girl way too obsessed with pink charging at us."

Naruto blinked. "Wait, what?" Arms wrapped around him and he froze. Something pressed up against his back and something wet hit his neck.

"Same hair," whispered a voice in his ear, "Same height, same build. You're back."

Naruto pulled away and turned around to stare into his former teammate's wet, weepy, teal green eyes. "Sakura," he said softly as he hugged her, "You haven't changed a bit." Sakura sobbed and wrapped her arms around Naruto again, dragging him down to his knees as she collapsed.

"You…you baka…you idiot," she cried, "At least when you went with Jiraiya, we knew you were safe."

Naruto patted her back and closed his eyes. "It's alright," he said, "I'm home now." This was the girl he'd pined for since his childhood, tearing up over his loss. He glanced back at M'gann who was staring at him incredulously. That was when he felt something smash into his skull like an anvil. "OW!" he howled as he scrambled back.

Sakura stood up and glared down at Naruto, her chest rising and falling with labored, angry breathes. "Good thing too," she snarled, pulling her gloves tight over her fingers, "I've got a year and a half worth of anger to vent."

Naruto paled and started to back away. "Now Sakura," he said, putting his hands out in front of him defensively, "Let's think about this."

"I've thought plenty," she snarled as she took a single step forwards. The ground cracked around her feet from the force of her stomp. "A year and a half to be exact," she continued with a false smile on her face.

Naruto groaned and slumped his shoulders. "Guys, run," he said simply. With a grunt, he back flipped over the door to the manor and launched himself over the walls around the mansion.

"Get back here!" shouted Sakura as she tried to follow him. Naruto tossed kunai left and right, Hiraishining blindly to lose his teammate. After a few minutes, he came across a familiar sight: a large billboard advertising an Icha Icha book with a smiling girl on the cover. Naruto glanced around him and quickly transformed into a copy of the girl on the cover. He adapted the same pose and pressed himself against the billboard just as Sakura leapt to the rooftop. She looked around briefly, her eyes passing over Naruto without blinking. After a minute, she snarled and jumped to another rooftop and out of sight.

Naruto sighed and reverted to his own form. "Clever," said a voice, "But her bust was much more impressive."

Naruto looked up and grinned at the figure casually reading a book in the branches of the tree above him. "Did you know that because of your Sharingan?" he asked, folding his arms, "Or did you know that because you're a huge perv?"

"Hey," snapped the figure, "I'll have you know that Icha Icha Paradise is a work of fine literature, a true piece of art."

"Debatable," said Naruto as he leapt up to the tree, "It's good to see you, Kakashi-Sensei."

The masked Jonin looked up from his book and smiled with his eyes at his former pupil. "It's good to see you too, Naruto."

"So," Naruto jumped to another branch and sat down across from Kakashi, "What's changed since I left?"

Kakashi blinked and stared at Naruto. "I don't know. When did you leave on your mission?"

Naruto frowned. "My mission?"

"You said you left. I assumed you were on a mission."

Naruto wracked his brains and clutched his head. "I…I don't know. I don't remember why I left. Or when I left."

"Then I can't tell you what happened while you were gone. For all I know, you've been gone for only an hour."

"I guess," Naruto stood up, "It was, ah, good speaking with you, Kakashi. Enjoy the book."

"I will," said Kakashi, looking back to his book, "This is the thirteenth time I've read it."

Naruto slid down the tree and landed with a thump on a terrace. "Hey," said a stoic voice, "You just stepped on my beetle."

Naruto turned and his jaw dropped as he saw a young man in an olive green trench coat with his hands shoved in his pockets approached him. "Shino?" he said, "Hey, bug-boy! How've you been?"

"Oh, now you remember me?" Shino huffed and walked past Naruto, "Your friend Artemis seemed very disturbed to meet me."

Naruto followed him with a frown. "You met Artemis? Where was she? I need to regroup with my team."

Shino stopped and turned, pointing at the scroll in Naruto's hand. "Really? Because that looks like an official Hokage document. You should probably deliver that first."

"Oh," Naruto nodded, "Good point. See you, Shino!" Naruto waved as he ran off in the general direction of Ichiraku's. Villagers cried out and greeted him with smiles as he dashed past them. He waved back shyly as he headed towards his favorite ramen shop. He rounded a corner and ran face first into something hard and red.

"Whoa! Easy there Naruto!" Naruto shook off the daze and stared at the large young man in red armor before him.

"Choji?"

The man shrugged. "Who else would it be?"

Naruto blinked. "I-I don't know."

"You okay there, Naruto?" The voice came from behind him and he turned to see the youngest of the Nara approaching him, a lit cigarette dangling precariously between his teeth.

"Hey, Shikamaru," greeted Naruto, "Yeah, I'm fine. I think. I…I gotta go." Naruto dodged around Choji and ran on. "Gotta hide," he panted to himself as he ran, "Gotta think." He slipped behind a wooden fence and slid to the ground. He carefully looked around to make sure nobody was around before he sat down and concentrated, entering his mindscape.

_Kurama? Talk to me! What the heck is going on? How long was I away from the Leaf? Why did I leave in the first place?_

"**Not now!**" snapped Kurama gruffly, "**There's something here! It's like your mind is surrounded by a presence!**"

_You'll keep my mind protected, right? _

"**Of course. Not shut up and let me concentrate.**" Naruto grunted and opened his eyes only to see a pair of pale, pink pupils staring back at him.

"Ah!" he cried as he scrambled against the wall.

"Oh," said the tall Hyuga casually, "So you are awake."

Naruto stared at the white robed shinobi before him. "Neji?" he whispered, "You're alive!"

Neji blinked and folded his arms. "Um, why wouldn't I be? Did you hear otherwise?"

"No," Naruto rubbed his head, "You…you died in front of me. You protected me from…" He hesitated. "I-I don't remember."

Neji laid his hand on Naruto's shoulder. "I can assure you, Naruto, I am very much alive."

"Are you sure?" asked Naruto, scratching his head, "I could have sworn…"

Neji took a step back. "You don't seem well, Naruto. Perhaps I should let you be. Come along, Lady Hinata." He started to walk away and Naruto turned to the corner.

A timid girl with long, black, straight hair peeked out from behind the fence. Her lavender coat stood out against the greenery behind her, but her lack of presence and shyness made her hide very well. But Naruto was looking directly at her, his eyes wide with amazement. "Hinata," he murmured as he ran at her.

The girl blushed and gasped as Naruto grabbed her and pulled her into a close embrace. "N-Naruto-kun!" she stammered, "W-what are y-you..." Her body went limp in his arms and she slumped against him.

"Aww, Naruto!" Neji protested as he turned back to see the commotion, "You know Hinata has a weak composition!"

"S-sorry," said Naruto as he gently lay the girl against the fence, "I…I don't know what came over me." Neji frowned and clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking audibly. Naruto backed away from the unconscious Hinata. "I'll just be going then," he said sheepishly as he dashed off the way he came.

"Oh! Naruto!" he glanced up to see a young man with a black bowl cut and a green jumpsuit running above him on the fence, "I see you are running! Would you like to race?"

"Not now, Lee!" he shouted as he ran on, "I'm busy!"

"Very well! Stay youthful!" Naruto turned a corner and dashed to the center of the village. Ichiraku's was just down the street and he dodge through the crowd to get to it.

"Hey! Big brother Naruto!" Naruto skidded to a halt and turned with a grunt.

"What is it, Konohamaru?"

The younger shinobi flipped over a civilian and landed in front of Naruto, his long blue scarf flickering behind him. "You gotta check this out!" With a burst of smoke, Konohamaru turned into a tall, naked woman shrouded by a thin veil of steam. Her bust was almost comically enormous, covering over half her body. "Sexy Jutsu!" said Konohamaru proudly as he struck a seductive pose, "Super Booby Technique!"

Naruto stared for a moment before he burst out into a wide grin. "Very impressive," he laughed, "But there's a little something called a place and time, buddy."

Konohamaru blinked. "What do you mean?" Naruto twirled his finger and Konohamaru turned around. In the crowd behind him, all the men were staring at him in awe and amazement, but all the women were hefting various weapons that ranged from rolling pins to katannas. "Oh," said Konohamaru glumly, "Right. I get it. I should run now, right?"

Naruto shrugged. "Too late, buddy." A frying pan smashed Konohamaru on the head and he reverted to his own form with a cry of pain. He slipped past Naruto and ran away, a crowd of women on his tail to punish him and a crowd of men following him to see if they could get a repeat performance. Naruto smiled and turned towards Ichiraku.

"He-Hey!" exclaimed Teuchi as Naruto walked under the banners in front of the small shop, "Ayame! It's our favorite customer!"

"Hey," said Naruto, pulling up a seat at the counter, "Orders directly from Granny Tsunade." He handed over the scroll and Teuchi quickly read it over.

"Seems simple enough," he said with a nod, "I'll have it ready for you in an hour."

"Cool," said Naruto, "Can I get a bowl of pork miso while I wait?"

"No problem!" said Ayame as she walked out from the back, "On the house!"

"Sweet!" Naruto leaned on the counter with a smile, "It's good to be back."

"Are you saying that because you missed us, or because you missed our ramen?" asked Teuchi with a grin.

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Teuchi barked a laugh and began cooking the ramen.

"Well, well," said a voice behind him, "Somebody call the dobe police."

Naruto swiveled in his seat and sneered at the pale, raven-haired boy that walked in behind him. "Good to see that some things never change."

"Of course," said Sasuke as he sat down next to Naruto, "For example, you may be the village hero, but you're still a dobe."

"And you're still a jerk."

"Agree to disagree."

Naruto frowned slightly. "Your eye."

Sasuke blinked and touched his cheek. "What about it?"

"You have two of them."

"That's a brilliant observation, Naruto. Care to make another?"

Naruto turned away. "Nevermind. I don't know what I was thinking."

"Nobody ever does."

"Here's your order, Naruto!" said Teuchi happily as he plopped a large bowl of delicious looking ramen in front of him. Naruto drew out a pair of chopsticks and twirled them expertly before clapping his hands together, bowing in thanks. He picked up the strands of noodles and began slurping them up.

"Ah!" he sighed in contentment, "Just as good as I remember." He spent a few minutes happily sipping on his ramen, chatting with Sasuke as Teuchi and Ayame were busy fulfilling the Hokage's order. "This is the life," he said with soft, glowing smile as he finished off his bowl, "I tell ya, Sasuke, it doesn't get better."

"Oh?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow, "I heard that it got better with you and M'gann the other night."

Naruto smiled knowingly and put down his bowl. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."

"Heard it through the grapevine, dobe."

"A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell, Sasuke."

"I have a feeling that kissing was one of the tamer things you two did together."

Naruto was about to respond with a clever and witty comment when he felt a hand grab him by the collar. With a surprised grunt, he was yanked back out of the shop. "There you are!" Connor hissed as he dropped Naruto to the ground, "Do you have any idea how long we've been looking for you?"

"We got separated from the others!" Artemis complained as she patted a whimpering Wolf, "Naruto, this place is starting to freak me out! That Ino girl talked to me like she'd known me my entire life!"

"And Kiba thinks I'm his cousin or something!" Connor shuddered, "He kept using his 'Dynamic Marking' to make sure I didn't get on his territory."

"Relax," said Naruto as he stood up and brushed himself off, "Don't worry. Any problems you're having, I'm sure we can resolve it. Besides," he put his hands on his hips and looked around, "Konoha looks better than it did when I left."

"Naruto, are you okay?" asked Artemis dryly, "Wait, let me rephrase that. Naruto, are you insane?!"

"Oh, calm down," said Naruto, waving away her worries, "Kiba's always been a little odd and Ino's just kind of an airhead."

"But Naruto-" Connor started as Sasuke stepped out of the shop.

"These fools bothering you, Naruto?" he asked, his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan spinning in his eyes.

Connor stared at him in horror and glanced back and forth between him and Naruto. "N-Naruto, is that…?"

"C'mon," said Artemis, her face pale as she grabbed Connor and pulled her away. Wolf growled low at Sasuke as he backed off along with his master.

"That was weird," said Naruto with a shrug, "They aren't usually like that."

"It doesn't matter," said Sasuke. He handed a bag full of pots of steaming ramen over to Naruto. "You want to carry it or do I have to do it myself?"

Naruto took the bag and glanced up at Sasuke. "You know where I'm going?"

"Of course," said Sasuke as he started to walk towards the restaurant, "Old lady Tsunade's been planning this party for months." Naruto blinked, but smiled as he set off after Sasuke.

Yakiniku Q was on the edge of the village, separating it from the training grounds. As such, it was a favorite hotspot for ninja. Sasuke opened the door and Naruto stepped through to a round of applause. "Eh!" shouted Tsuande, her face red with sake, "The savior returns!"

Shizune sat next to her and shrugged, grabbing the sake from her mistress and downed a large gulp. "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em," she sighed as she and Tsunade began passing the sake back and forth between them.

Naruto handed the ramen over to a cook who began to dish it out into bowls. Naruto and Sasuke sat down between Choji and Kiba as they began to grill their pork strips. Looking around, Naruto felt like every ninja in the village was in the restaurant. In the corner, he saw Robin and Tenten deep in conversation about the aerodynamics of shuriken. Rock Lee had his arm wrapped around an uncomfortable-looking Wally, bragging about his speed. Shikamaru and Kaldur were leaning against the wall, their eyes scanning the crowd. Neji had Hinata propped up against a booth as he munched politely on chunks of chicken. Sakura and Ino were fighting at the bar, a grin on their faces as they insulted each other. Shino had a whole table to himself as his insects floated gently around him.

Kakashi and Guy were sitting across from Tsunade and Shizune, slowly watching them get drunker and drunker. Asuma and Kurenai were with each other, taking turns patting Kurenai's swollen stomach.

An arm wrapped around Naruto and someone slid down between him and Kiba. "Naruto," M'gann whimpered as her eyes jumped around wildly, "We need to leave. Now!"

Naruto laughed. "What are you talking about? Why would anyone want to leave Konoha? This place is perfect! In fact," Naruto stood up and grabbed a bottle from a passing waiter. "Hey everyone!" he called and tapped his bottle until he felt he had the collected ninjas' attention, "I'd like to thank you all for coming. It's been a while since I've been here, but you've all welcomed me back with open arms and made me remember just why I love Konoha so much. Having been to two different worlds, I can tell you that this is the greatest place in either."

"I know a few people who would disagree," rasped a monotone behind him.

Naruto swiveled and gasped as he opened his arms. "Gaara!"

The red-headed Kazekage stood in the doorway with his arms folded and his face expressionless. "Hello, Naruto," he said softly as he stepped into the restaurant.

"Brother!" Naruto embraced his fellow Jinchuriki and Kage.

"Hey Naruto, did you miss me?" Naruto looked up and grinned, "It's your good 'ole uncle; Killer Bee!" the black, rapping Jinchuriki slid into the room with his hands tapping to a beat only he could hear, "Fool ya fool!"

"Bee!" Naruto shouted as he pulled Gaara into a hug with the older man, "Everyone! Bee and Gaara are here!" Everyone cheered and raised a glass to the foreigners as they joined Naruto at a booth.

M'gann slid in next to him as Gaara and Bee began to eat. "Enough!" she hissed, "Naruto, I'm scared!"

"Of what?"

"Of this place! Earlier, nobody knew us. But now, everyone thinks we've lived here our entire lives! They-" She stopped and put a hand over her mouth as tears formed in her eyes. "N-Naruto," she whispered, "Your eye!"

Naruto blinked. "What about it? Do I have pinkeye or something?"

"No," she murmured in fear, "Naruto, your patch is gone! And your eye is blue! Your Sharingan…it…it's gone!"

Naruto frowned. "Um, M'gann, only the Uchiha Clan have the Sharingan," he said, "Except for Kakashi-sensei of course.

M'gann slowly backed out of the booth and away from Naruto. "This place," she said shakily, "It's…it's corrupted you!"

She turned and ran into the crowd, leaving Naruto confused and bewildered. "Like all women, she be trippin'," said Bee as he chomped down hard on an undercooked piece of beef, "Just wait it out and she'll be itchin'."

"How poetic," sighed Gaara dryly.

"Hey!" called a voice over the crowd, "What's all the fuss about?"

"We're celebrating!" slurred Tsunade, "The Sixth Hokage's returned!"

"Oh, what?" the crowd parted as the newcomers walked in, "The Sixth Hokage gets a party but the Forth and his wife get nothing? I guess I know where this village's heart lies."

Naruto stood up. "C'mon Dad, you've had enough parties in your day."

"True," said Minato Namikaze as he and his wife slipped in next to their son, "But there's no reason I can't have a few more. Greetings, Lord Kazekage. Any news from Suna?"

"Nothing to report, although my brother is planning a large-scale puppet show for the entire Alliance." Bee immediately offered his rapping services and Kushina wrapped her arm around Naruto as Minato laughed.

"Hey!" Tsunade fell out of her booth and crawled over to Naruto, "I…I just realize some-something. We never, we never, we never officially made Naruto the…the…what were we supposed to make him?"

Kakashi helped Tsuande to her feet. "Hokage, Lady Tsuande," he sighed.

"Oh, right, Hokage."

"That's true," said Minato thoughtfully, "Naruto was never officially inducted as Hokage."

"Well," Kushina pulled her son close, "That can be easily fixed."

"It _is_ a fairly simple process," said Kakashi as he leaned a semi-conscious Tsunade against the table, "But traditionally, the ceremony is performed by the Hokage's most senior sensei."

"Well then," said another voice at the door, "It's a good thing I just got here then, isn't it?"

"Oh man," sighed Naruto, "Somebody hide Tsuande. Pervy Sage is here." Jiraiya stepped up to the table with a wide grin.

"So, little Naruto needs to become Hokage? Well, I guess I have no choice. Everyone!"

"Let us eat in peace!" groaned Choji as he put down his food to pay attention to Jiraiya.

"Naruto, take a knee." Naruto slipped out of the booth, his heart pounding as he knelt before Jiraiya. Tsuande managed to stand up next to him and Minato stood at his other side.

"Do you swear to protect the village?" Tsuande muttered drunkly.

"I do."

"Do you swear to carry on the Will of Fire?" asked Minato proudly.

"I do."

Jiraiya stepped forwards and lay a hand on Naruto's head. "Do you swear to make this village as great as you can possibly make it?"

"I do."

Jiraiya stepped back. "Then it is done. Tsuande?"

"Here!" she slurred, "Take the stupid hat!" She flung something at him and it landed perfectly on his head, the red crown of the Hokage fluttering around him as he stood up to cheers and applause.

_How about that?_ He said to Kurama. There was no response and Naruto frowned. _Kurama?_ Still, there was no response.

"Wait a minute," Naruto murmured to himself, "Who's Kurama?"

"Everyone!" called yet another voice.

"For the love of all things good and holy!" shouted Choji, "Just let me eat!"

"The village is under attack!" Naruto's senses sharpened and he ran through the crowd to the door, launching himself out of the restaurant. From the sky, a massive black shape blotted out the sky, towering over Konoha.

"Oh my," whispered Kushina as she walked out next to Naruto. They watched in horror as the shape landed on Konoha and the screams of the civilians reached their ears. The Hokage's mansion crumpled like a can under the weight of the shape. "What do we do?"

Naruto snarled up at the structure. "Mobilize the shinobi!" he shouted as he ran towards the structure, "Salvage anyone still alive from the wreckage! Get the Akimichi clan to go super-sized and see if they can lift that thing!" Screams poured in from everywhere as Naruto raced through the village. "Everyone out!" he shouted as he ran, "Evacuate the Village!"

As Naruto drew closer to the structure, small black shapes shot out from it. They flew through the air like Truth-Seeking Balls, except much larger and shaped strangely. Beams of red light shot down from the flying shapes and rained down around Naruto. One beam struck a fleeing villager and Naruto gasped as she vanished right in front of his eyes.

"Naruto!" Shikamaru ran up next to him, "We need a plan!"

"Get the Yamanakas to link up the entire village!" he shouted, "Have the Inuzuka Clan and Aburame Clan use their jutsu to deal with the individual ships!"

"Ships? How do you know they're ships? Ships don't fly!"

Naruto clutched his head and groaned as a spike of agony drove through his head. "I…I don't know! Just do it!"

Neji ran up next to them. "Lord Hiashi wants to know what the Hyuga Clan can do!"

"I want every Byakugan tracking those ships!" Naruto shouted, "Use the Gentle Fist: Air Palm to make a perimeter around the mothership!"

"_Naruto! Er, I mean, Lord Hokage!_" Ino's voice echoed in Naruto's head, "_The whole village is linked! What are your orders?_"

"_Ultimate Ino-Shika-Cho on Hokage Mountain! I want a wave of insects from the ground to the sky from the east and get Sasuke and his Susano'o to the west!_"

"_And to the North?_"

"_Leave the North to me!_" Naruto diverted towards the village gates as twelve massive plumes of smoke appeared over the Hokage's stone faces. The Akimichi Clan's massive bodies cast huge shadows over the entire village as the Nara family assembled at their feet.

"Ninja Art!" their voices reached over the screams of the villagers, "Shadow Stitching Wave!" The shadows of the Akimichi burst to life and shot into the sky. Lines of them shot through the smaller ships, making them explode as they wrapped around the mother ship. Naruto leapt to the top of the village gates as a massive purple fire being formed to the west. Sasuke's Susano'o roared and loaded a crossbow bolt into its ranged weapon.

A buzzing noise filled the air and Naruto glanced to the east where a giant wall of black insects flew towards the ship. He bit his thumb as the insects slammed into the ship and began to devoir it and Sasuke launched his bolt at the ship, coating it with the fires of Amaterasu as it flew. "Summoning Jutsu!" he shouted as he slapped his hands against the ground. There was a burst of smoke and Naruto shot a hundred feet in the air, propelled by the clammy skin of his friend.

"What's up, bud?" asked Gamakichi as he smoked on his cigarette stick, "Who do you need squashed?"

"That!"

Gamakichi whistled. "Well now, that's not something you see everyday." The insects had eaten half way through the mothership and most of the small ships had been blasted with Fang Over Fangs or been impaled by the shadows. The Hyuga Clan projected a wall of air around the mothership, trapping it with the insects and the black flames. "Looks like the situation is relatively under control," said Gamakichi, "What did you need me for?"

"This isn't over," said Naruto, his eyes scanning the heavens, "There! Look!" The clouds parted as a second mothership descended. "Can you catch it? We can't let it land on civilians again!"

Gamakichi jumped and landed directly under the mothership, balancing precariously on some buildings. He drew his massive sword and stabbed it into the ground before backing up. The hilt of his blade caught one side of the mothership as Gamakichi grabbed the other end. He grunted under its weight and crouched to the ground. "Urgh! It's like trying to pick up a mountain!"

"Just hang on!" Naruto called down to him, "_Ino! Tell the Aburame to eat this thing from the top down!_"

"_No good! Their insects are dying out from eating the last ship! It's poisonous to them!_"

"_Then tell the Akimichi to get under it and throw it! We need this thing away from the village!_" Almost immediately, three giants slid under the ship and helped Gamakichi push it up.

"Which way, Naruto?" asked Choji as he helped his family carry the ship.

"To the faces! We'll smash it against the mountain!" The Akimichi crouched down, bending their knees to throw the ship. A wide beam of red light shot down from the bottom of the ship and Choji screamed as two of his family members disappear. Gamakichi grunted and grabbed Naruto off his head. He flipped over, holding the mothership with his back. He tossed Naruto away and into the village as a second beam swallowed up him and Choji. The ship tilted on Gamakichi's sword before sliding to the ground. An armada flew from its hangars as Naruto flew through the air.

Something grabbed him from the air and M'gann scooped him up in her arms. "Naruto, you have to come with me!" she said as she flew them down towards the woods.

"No!" Naruto struggled out of her arms as he dropped to the ground, "The village needs me! I don't know what's going on with you and the others, but I have a duty to my people!"

M'gann slapped him. She wasn't as strong as Sakura, but M'gann's blow affected him much more than any of hers. "Naruto," she said softly but firmly, "You are going to listen to me and you're going to listen closely. Understood?" Naruto slowly nodded and M'gann pulled him into the woods. The entire team was gathered around a small figure, hidden by their forms. "Guys, I got him," said M'gann and the team backed away.

"Naruto, you unbelievable moron!" shouted the small figure as she saw Naruto. It was a small, young girl with the pale eyes of the Byakugan.

"Hanabi?" he said, "What's going on here?"

"That's what I want to know!" raged Hanabi.

"Relax," said Connor gently, "Just tell him what you told us."

Hanabi grunted and folded her arms. "I'm not Hanabi," she said, "Well, yes I am. But I'm not _this_ Hanabi. I'm _your_ Hanabi."

Naruto tilted his head to the side as he stared at the little girl. "What do you mean?" Hanabi rolled her eyes and kicked Naruto in the shin. "Ow!" he cried as he grabbed his leg. An image shot through his mind with a burst of pain. For a moment, he saw a tall woman in ANBU armor with twin Byakugan eyes. "Hanabi," he breathed as the image faded, "What happened to you? You're…younger!"

Hanabi shrugged angrily. "I don't remember, you idiot! All I know is this: this place is definitely not Konoha!"

Naruto shook his head. "Look, Konoha is under attack! I need to defend the village!" He turned to run, but Connor grabbed him by the back of the head.

"You're not going anywhere," he said firmly, "We need to figure this out right now. We are your team and you are our leader. We look to you to lead us because that's your duty. I guess you're some kind of leader to these people too, but these people aren't…right. There's something wrong about them. I don't think they're on the same level as us or something. For now, our main focus is getting the heck out of here and finding a way home."

"I think I may have the solution." Naruto looked up to find the source of the voice and saw a green figure drifting down from the heavens.

"Who're you?" asked Naruto as the figure touched down.

M'gann took a step forwards hesitantly. "Are you another Martian?"

"Enough of this," groaned the figure, "Remember!" At the command, Naruto's mind broke. He cried out as white-hot pain burst through his brain, his synapses overloading as he recalled his other world. He remembered the deaths of the Justice League and the invasion of Earth.

Scenes flashed in his mind of Artemis and Kaldur disappearing. He saw himself don the Helmet of Fate and unleash his full fury on the aliens. He recalled the other mothership falling from space and the despair he felt as Kurama's power began to fade. He suddenly remembered Kurama and his mind practically exploded as he felt a second presence enter his mind.

"**Naruto! What's wrong with you?!**"

Naruto fell to his knees and clutched his head. _I don't know what's happening anymore!_

J'onn grabbed Naruto by the head and raised his fist. "This is over." Naruto tried to spin out of the way, but felt a pressure in his skull as Kurama fought against his movement. "**Give in to him, Naruto!**"

_Kurama! Stop it! Help me!_

"**No!**" J'onn's fist went straight through Naruto's skull before it solidified and things went dark.

. . .

Naruto sat straight up and cried out in fear. Sweat poured off him as he looked around him. He was in the Cave's main hall, lying on a cot. Around him, the team was slowly getting out of their own beds, being seen to by members of the Justice League. J'onn was slumped against Batman and Hanabi lay spread eagle in the middle of the room.

"What happened in there?" asked Batman.

"Everything went wrong," groaned J'onn, "The exercise, the recovery, everything."

"Exercise?" panted Robin.

"Try to remember," Batman ordered as he looked around at the team, "What you

experienced was a training exercise. J'onn psychically linked the six of you within an artificial reality where the Justice League was killed off and you had to take responsibility for the Earth. You all knew this going in. What you didn't know was that it was all designed to fail, whatever you did, the situation was groomed to keep getting worse."

"Still, you were all aware nothing was real," said J'onn as he struggled to his feet, "Which is why you barely mourned for the loss of the Justice League and Wolf. But when Artemis was killed M'gann's subconscious mind grabbed control of the reality from me. Though she knew it was all fake, her mind believed it was real and convinced all of you that it was real as well. Even Artemis, who should have woken up upon her death, was so convinced she had passed that she went into a coma."

"I…" M'gann stammered, her eyes the size of plates and tears streaking out of them, "I'm so sorry!"

"We tried to stop the exercise," continued Batman, "But Ms. Martian had a death grip on the scenario. J'onn decided to enter the dream itself and try to shock M'gann into reality."

"But once I entered the situation, your collective emotions drowned out my own mind, making me forget my true mission. Once most of you had left the dream, I remembered my purpose and killed M'gann."

"I…I remember," breathed Naruto, "I remember it all."

"M'gann's death should have shocked her out of the scenario," sighed J'onn, "But I did not expect Naruto's psychic powers to resist the end of the situation. He was so convinced that the whole thing was real, he tried to avenge M'gann by killing me. Once my consciousness was destroyed within the dream, Naruto's mind was left alone and forced to create its own reality. Naturally, Naruto's mind jumped to what he was most familiar with."

"Konoha," said Connor, looking to the floor, "His homeland."

"Exactly," sighed J'onn, "Unfortunately, while your minds were gone, your consciousnesses were still wrapped within the reality. So when Naruto rewrote the world in the image of his homelands-"

"We got pulled along for the ride," Wally finished, "Whoa."

"I tried to enter the reality to get you out," said J'onn, "But Naruto's mental defenses were formidable. However, I was able to observe your actions within the world as I broke through Naruto's subconscious. Over time, I watched the world reshape itself from the world Naruto remembered to the world Naruto wanted to remember; a utopia version of the world he was born into. This let me know that Naruto's control over this world was absolute, but subconscious."

"We got in contact with the only person we knew who could guide us through Naruto's world," said Batman, helping Hanabi to her feet as she regained consciousness, "As J'onn got through to reality, he brought Hanabi along with him to try and snap you out of it."

"There were…complications…on that front," said J'onn sheepishly.

"I was stuck as a ten year-old," grunted Hanabi.

"Once we were within the reality, I re-activated the exercise to weaken your focus," J'onn told Naruto, "As soon as you were so confused that even your subconscious couldn't defend you against me, I shattered your mind and killed you, shocking you out of the exercise and everyone else with you." J'onn took a deep breath and looked around sadly at the team. "I'm so sorry," he said, "I had no idea and exercise could be so dangerous, so damaging." The team slowly turned their eyes to Naruto. He was already feeling sick from what he'd done, but the eyes were what made him throw up. They were identical to the eyes he'd seen growing up. Accusing, angry eyes that caused a shiver to run up and down his spine.

"Can I just say," panted Hanabi as she hobbled to her feet, "That you are all total idiots." She grabbed Connor by the shirt and pulled him close to her, slamming her lips against his. As she pushed him away, he stumbled back in surprise and tripped over Wolf. "He's the only one amongst you with enough sense to know that there was something wrong and enough guts to stand up to his leader!" she snapped, "Now how do I get out of here!" Captain Marvel led her away as Naruto backed away.

M'gann glanced back and forth between her boyfriend and her team. "Naruto?" she said anxiously, "I-" Naruto didn't stick around to hear it. With a flash of yellow light, he appeared in his room and quickly locked the door before collapsing on his bed.

"What have I done?" he whispered to himself as he felt his left eye, feeling the smooth fabric of the eye patch over it.

_Kurama, what did I do?_

"**The perfect world**," Naruto hadn't heard Kurama's voice so low and so angry in a long time, "**You created the perfect world for yourself. And inside your perfect world, I didn't exist.**"

_Kurama,_ Naruto shook with fear and anxiety, _Kurama, I'm so sorry!_ Kurama withdrew into his old cage, his red eyes glaring with hate as he slammed the doors shut behind him, shrouding him in shadows.

Naruto rolled over in bed, his body cold and clammy as he wept. "At least it can't get any worse," he sobbed.

Kurama laughed cruelly in his cage. "**Wanna bet?**" Naruto sat up and looked around the room in fear to see what Kurama was talking about. His eye scanned over everything as he tried to find what was wrong.

Finally, his eye landed on his shelf and he gasped in abject sadness and horror. "Hanabi!" he whispered, "No!"

On his dusty shelf, there was a space of clear stone where the Hokage Scroll was supposed to be.

. . .

Thanks for the reviews! Keep 'em coming! Wow! 300!


	19. Disordered

Same disclaimers and italics as before.

Chapter 19: Disordered

Naruto lay on his bed and gazed at the ceiling. On his nightstand, his clock ticked away the seconds as clocks are like to do. Every few seconds, Naruto breathed deeply and his chest rose. After hours of this, he sighed and sat up. It was time.

He stepped up to his door and hesitated before touching the knob. _Kurama? Please talk to me_. There was no response and Naruto opened the door.

The Cave was quieter than it should have been. It was normally very spacious, but cozy. The last few days had seen it grow cold and empty. Each step Naruto took echoed throughout the mountain as he headed to the conference room.

He turned a corner and ran smack into Connor. They stared each other in the eyes before Connor grunted and shoved Naruto to the side as he headed to the hangar. "Connor?"

"Leave me alone!" snapped the clone without looking back. Naruto didn't protest Connor's rudeness. He knew it was more than well deserved. He walked through the hallways until he reached the conference room. The team had never used it, but Black Canary had set it up as a sort of guidance office following the disastrous exercise. A sign was attached to the door that read, 'Busy'. Naruto sighed and sat down, leaning against the wall next to the door.

For a few minutes, he sat in silence, waiting patiently for Black Canary to be ready. Eventually, the door opened and Naruto stood up. M'gann stepped out and they stared at each other for a few moments in shocked silence. Naruto took a deep breath.

"Sorry," they said at the same time, "I-" they both stopped and Naruto twitched nervously.

"You first," he offered. M'gann opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She pushed past Naruto and fled down the hall.

"Naruto?" called Black Canary, "Come in please." Naruto entered the room and looked around. It looked like Professor Strange's office in Belle Reve, filled with soothing, moving water and plants. Black Canary motioned to an empty armchair across from her and Naruto sat down. "So," she said softly, "I hear you had a bad week."

"You could say that," said Naruto dryly, "I nearly put my entire team in permanent comas, didn't listen to them when they tried to warn me in the fake world, and, to top it all off, the woman Batman brought in to help me stole one of my most valuable possessions."

"Is that where you want to begin?"

"Might as well," sighed Naruto, "The Hokage Scroll. It was compiled by old man Third Hokage and contains instructions and logistics for every hidden jutsu from the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Granny Tsunade gave it to me when she made me the Sixth Hokage and said it would help me in this new world." Black Canary blinked and Naruto sighed. "And you have no idea what I'm talking about."

"No, no," said Canary, "I follow. Was the, ah, Third Hokage close to you?"

"Sorta. He didn't raise me per say, but he was the only one who bothered to care about me when I was a kid."

"And is Granny Tsuande your grandmother?"

"No, it's just a nickname. Although she is a Senju so I guess we are distantly related."

"So then the Hokage Scroll is valuable to you because it was made and given to you by two important people in your life, right?"

Naruto leaned back and sighed. "That and it was one of the last things I owned from my old world."

"Why do you think Hanabi would steal it?"

"Any number of reasons," Naruto shrugged, "Maybe she wanted something from our world to reconnect with. Maybe she wanted more power. Maybe she wanted to keep me from getting stronger. I don't know. She used to trust me and act as my spy inside the League of Shadows, but when she found out about the Bijuu, she lost faith in me."

"Why was she upset about the Bijuu?"

"It's not important."

Black Canary smiled gently and made a note on her clipboard. "We'll come back to that. For now, let's talk about the simulation."

"Joy," Naruto said with a deadpan.

"You've lost comrades before, correct?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, but that didn't make loosing Kaldur and Artemis any easier."

"When I spoke with M'gann, she said you told her about something called the Will of Fire. Care to elaborate?"

"The Will of Fire," sighed Naruto, "It was sort of like a religion in Konoha. Only ninja who devoted everything to protecting the ones they care about were said to possess it, a burning need to defend."

"Interesting. Is that why you became a hero? To defend the people you care about?"

Naruto managed a small smile. "Not really. I guess I became a hero because Kent told me what heroes did and it was similar enough to being a shinobi that I decided to just stick with what I knew."

"I read some of the team's mission reports," she said, "Kent's death hit you pretty hard."

"He was the person I first met in this world. He taught me everything I knew about the culture, the way of life, the society, the history, everything. I spent a year learning from him. He was my sensei. Wouldn't a person like that dying affect you?"

"Fair point," Canary made another note, "Let's go back to the simulation. After M'gann's death, you tried to kill J'onn despite your explicit directions not to kill in this world."

"Yeah," grunted Naruto, "Not one of my proudest moments."

"You and M'gann are dating, right?"

"Yes."

"And it's serious?"

"Very."

"So the death of a loved one was enough to inspire murderous rage?"

"I guess," Naruto bent forwards and stared at his feet, "In my old world, my sensei was killed by one of the most dangerous ninja who ever lived. After his death, I went to a distant land to train. While I was gone, the ninja destroyed my village and killed some of my friends and another of my teachers. I arrived back more powerful than I'd ever been and ready for a fight."

"So you killed him?"

"No," Naruto breathed deeply, "We fought and he told me that all he was trying to do was bring peace to the world."

"By killing people?"

"By showing the world true pain. He said that by sharing the same pain, the world could become one."

"How did the fight end?"

"I confronted him with my own beliefs and asked him to trust me. Then he killed himself by using his power to bring everyone in the village back to life."

"He could do that?"

"I did say he was a powerful ninja."

"So what was different between your sensei's death and M'gann's that made you want to avenge her?"

Naruto leaned back in his seat, but kept his eyes down. "Time. Conversation. Connection with the killer. Any of the above."

"Interesting," Canary made another note, "So, after you killed J'onn, you entered Konoha."

"Here we go," muttered Naruto.

"So, once you realized you were in Konoha, how did you feel?"

"Happy, I guess. Konoha is…was my home."

"And you miss it?"

"Yeah."

"And you know you can't go back?"

"Yes. Three ninja managed to get here from my world and look how much chaos we've caused in just half a year. I couldn't risk anyone else coming through and ripping the fabric of space and time apart."

"Your team tried to tell you that something was wrong, right?"

"Yeah."

"But you didn't listen to them."

"No. I just…I was just so caught up with being back in Konoha that I didn't…I didn't." Something in his chest felt tight and he stopped talking.

"It's alright, Naruto," said Canary softly, "The others understand what it's like to be homesick."

"But the others didn't ignore the obvious just because they missed their homes. Neji died in front of me, he sacrificed himself so I would live. But when I saw him in the simulation, alive and well, I totally forgot about his selflessness and just accepted he was still alive. His sacrifice meant nothing to me." He touched his eye patch and rubbed the fabric. "My friend Sasuke gave me this eye by ripping it out of his own skull so I could save both of our worlds. This eye was his most valuable possession, a sign of a struggle he'd being going through since his childhood. He gave it up without a second thought so he could give it to me. But when I saw him with both eyes in the simulation, I forgot all about his pain and efforts."

"So you're madder at yourself for forgetting everything people have done for you than you are for ignoring your team?"

"I don't know," murmured Naruto, "I guess not. I had so many opportunities to end the simulation, so many clues that something was off, but my mind wouldn't let me realize the truth. But everyone else saw the signs and tried to warn me. I guess it was stupider of me not to listen to my team."

Black Canary hesitated and began tapping her clipboard nervously. "So, Naruto," she said slowly, "There's something else I want to talk to you about."

"Let me guess," sighed Naruto, "The giant fox that played with the motherships like they were balls of catnip?"

"J'onn brought it up, but I thought he might have been exaggerating," said Canary, "But then M'gann told me about it our discussion. J'onn was surprised, but M'gann was terrified of what happened. She said she thought you might have killed your father?"

"It's a little more complicated than that," said Naruto. He looked around carefully and leaned in closer to Canary. "You can't tell anyone, right?"

"Nothing leaves this room."

"And Batman doesn't have this place bugged?"

"I made sure of it myself." Naruto sat back and said something so softly and quietly that Canary turned her ear to the side. "I'm sorry, come again?"

Naruto cleared his throat. "I have a demonic spirit inside my body," he croaked.

Black Canary sat still for a moment before she continued. "Do you mean to say you're possessed?"

"No! No," said Naruto quickly, "I'm in complete control of myself. Just…it's a long story."

Canary shrugged. "We have all the time you need."

Naruto looked at the ceiling and leaned back in his chair. "When I was born, there was a disaster in my village and it was attacked by a Bijuu. In this world, they give off an energy aura that Kent described as demonic in nature. My parents sacrificed their lives to save the village by imprisoning the Bijuu inside my body."

"Are Bijuu considered evil entities in your world?"

"They're thought to be, yes."

"Do you think this is why Hanabi no longer trusts you? Because you reincarnated some of them from your old world?"

"I suppose. That and I won't tell her why I left our world in the first place. Even though she doesn't say it out loud, I think she shares Hiruzen's belief that I'm at least partially responsible for her sister's death."

"Getting back to the Bijuu, I'm guessing that having one inside you didn't exactly make things easy for you growing up."

"To say the least. The other villagers thought I was some sort of reincarnation of the Nine-Tails so they shunned me."

"That must have been hard."

"Yeah, it was."

"But clearly you have some control over the demon's power."

"Sort of," Naruto sat up and looked at Canary for the first time in their conversation, "During our time together, Kurama and I formed a relationship based on mutual respect and cooperation."

"Kurama is the demon?"

"Correct."

"So he gives you his power?"

"Only when I need it, but yes. When I really need to, I can unleash his full power and transform into him."

"Is it safe to say that he doesn't like being trapped in your body?"

"He used to hate it, but after we made peace, he accepted it."

"Do you think Kurama is evil?"

"No! Not at all. Kurama's helped me out of more fixes than I can count."

"Can I speak with him?"

Naruto hesitated. _Kurama? Do you want to talk to Canary?_

"**Shut up and let me out.**"

Naruto winced. "Here he is," he said, "I'll warn you; he can be a little crass." He retreated within his own mindscape and Kurama burst out of his cage to take control.

"**Canary**," he said through Naruto's mouth, his blue eye turning red, "**Nice to meet face to, er, host**."

"Hello, Kurama," she said carefully, "Can I ask you some questions?"

"**May as well. You managed to drag me out this far.**"

"Do you regret attacking Naruto's village?"

"**To be fair, I was not entirely in control of my actions at the time.**"

"If you had been in control, would you have still attacked the village?"

"**Maybe. They kept me trapped in human bodies for two generations, stealing my power for their own purposes without even considering me sentient, let alone worthy of respect.**"

"Walk me through your relationship with Naruto."

"**In the beginning, I hated him. Could you possibly blame me? I was so close to being free, so close, but then his parents ripped away half my chakra and locked me away once again. Does a prisoner not hate his prison?** **I spent eleven years in Naruto before he even realized I existed. When he first unlocked my power, he demanded my chakra like a landlord demands rent. Over time though, he learned to respect my strength and began relying less and less on my power. Still, whenever his rage consumed him, I was able to peek through the seal and take control for a little while. When he fought the ninja who killed his sensei, I nearly broke through completely.**"

"I see. And when did you begin a more amiable relationship?"

"**During the Fourth Great Ninja War. He needed to conquer me in order to gain the power to help his friends. He beat me into submission and stole my chakra. When he absorbed my energy, he felt the hatred I felt for him, for everyone. After he was done, he told me he'd help me manage my rage. It was the first time since my old man that somebody had done offered something to me. But his betrayal negates everything.**"

"His betrayal?"

"**When we were sucked into Naruto's mind, to Konoha, I saw Naruto's perfect world. It was peaceful and everyone he cared for was alive and well. Except me. I didn't even exist. He totally forgot about everything I'd done to help him and everything he'd done to help me.**"

"And he felt terrible about it. Naruto didn't mean to exclude you; his subconscious was in control of the situation."

"**You don't understand,**" sighed Kurama, "**What Naruto offered me was another life, a fresh perspective from the point of view of a hero rather than a burden. It meant everything to me because I knew he could back it up. His nindo, his ninja way, is that he never goes back on his word. He gave me his word that he would help me deal with my hate and he followed through, but the trust and respect I gave him was clearly not…reciprocated.**"

Canary sat back in her seat. She seemed to be more and more comfortable with the fact that she was talking with a demonic entity. "Try putting yourself in Naruto's shoes," she said gently, "What if you had the opportunity to create a perfect world? Tell me about your personal utopia."

"**Hmm,**" hummed Kurama thoughtfully, "**Me and my siblings would live with our father and live out our days in peace and comfort.**"

"Would Naruto still exist in this world?"

"**Absolutely,**" said Kurama without hesitation, "**I probably wouldn't be locked up and living inside him, but he would certainly exist.**"

"So you're upset because you don't think Naruto holds the same high opinion of you that you have of him?"

"**Spoken like a true parrot,**" grunted Kurama, "**Or, in your case, canary.**"

"Then I you're anger is misplaced," said Canary, coolly ignoring the demon's rudeness, "Naruto's subconscious was in charge of the simulation."

"**Your point?**"

"Even if you and Naruto are on good terms, your presence more or less ruined his childhood. Though consciously he knows you as a friend and ally, his subconscious still remembers you as a, for lack of a better word, problem."

Kurama glared at her. "**So you're saying Naruto wasn't in complete control of the situation?**"

"How long have you two been friends?"

"**Coming on two years now.** **More like a year and a half.**"

"And how long have been living in Naruto's body as his enemy?"

"**Since his birth**."

"There you go then," Canary said with a slight shrug, "After sixteen years of being a burden for Naruto and only two as his friend, his consciousness recognizes you as a positive influence, but his subconscious probably still sees you as a negative influence."

"**And I'll have to wait another sixteen years until his mind fully sees me as a good thing?**"

"Who knows?" Canary sighed, "I have degrees in psychology, psychiatry, and sociology from Harvard, Yale, and Brown respectively and even I still don't fully know precisely how the human mind works. For all we know, Naruto's subconscious might never accept you. All we do know is that nothing happens instantaneously. You'll have to be patient though, as from what I've been told; Naruto is resiliently, ah, stubborn."

"**Well that's true.**"

"Luckily, I doubt your existence will ever be threatened by Naruto's subconscious. What happened with the training exercise was one in a million, and I don't think I have to tell you that we won't be doing it again."

Kurama grunted and sank slightly into the chair. Naruto curled up into a ball within his mindscape and stared at his toes. "**I suppose,**" snarled Kurama eventually.

"So where do we go from here?" asked Canary.

"**You tell me. You're the shrink.**"

"Fair enough," conceded Canary, "I think you should start by reconciling with Naruto." Kurama clenched Naruto's fists and loosed a feral growl. After a few moments, he gave a soft nod. "When you're done, I'd like to talk with Naruto again."

Kurama grunted and retracted to Naruto's mindscape. He snorted as he passed Naruto and lay down, resting his head on his paws before he closed his eyes. A slow smile spread across Naruto's face and he got up. He walked over to the Bijuu and gently patted his ear. _It's okay,_ he said, _You don't have to say it._

Naruto took control of his body back and blinked up at Canary as his eye turned back to blue. "Am I speaking with Naruto?" she asked.

"Of course," he said, "You can trust Kurama."

"But can he trust you?"

"I…" Naruto hesitated. He wanted so badly to say yes, but he couldn't. "I…I don't know anymore."

Canary nodded in understanding. "Let's talk about the team again. After speaking with the others, I can tell you that nobody blames you for what happened."

Naruto looked up at her sadly. "Am I supposed to believe you?"

"I don't really care if you believe me," said Canary simply, "I know I'm telling the truth. The others sympathize with you. They know it must be hard to be from another world you can't return to. Are they upset you didn't listen to them? Of course. But do they understand what it's like to be homesick? To be so overjoyed with a pleasant lie that you'd be willing to ignore an unpleasant truth? They do, Naruto, they do."

Naruto stared at Canary and stood up. He walked to the wall and pressed his forehead against the stone. His shoulders shook as tears poured down his face. With a sudden jerk, he reared back his fist and slammed it into the rock. His strength enhanced by chakra, his fist left cracks in the stone where his knuckles landed. Canary jumped slightly in surprise. "Naruto?" she said hesitantly, "Are you alright?"

"You don't understand!" he snapped as he spun around and marched out of the room, "You don't understand at all!" He slammed the door and stormed down the hall and entered his room. As soon as the door closed behind him, he broke down and collapsed to the floor.

Kurama cracked his neck and sighed. "**She doesn't understand,**" he said quietly, "**But I do. You're thinking of Madara and the Infinite Tsukuyomi.**"

_It's exactly what he was trying to do!___cried Naruto, _A perfect world! It was exactly like what Madara wanted! And I fell for it! Hook, line, and freaking sinker!_

"**Not exactly. Madara wanted peace based on a lie. You just wanted to be happy for a change.**"

_You think that makes it better? What if he'd caught me in the Infinite Tsukuyomi? I wouldn't have even wanted to resist!_

"**I don't know what to tell you, Naruto. All I know is that I've been under the control of the both of you and that, if I had to chose, I'd rather live in your ideal world than his.**"

Naruto sniffed and clambered over to his bed. He cried long and hard until he managed to cry himself to sleep.

. . .

"Dude! Wake up!"

Naruto grunted and rolled over in bed. "Mmm, Wally? What'd you want?"

"Words can't describe, man!" said Wally excitedly, darting around the room spastically, "Just come see!" Naruto groaned as he pushed himself out of bed as Wally shot out of the room. He followed him sleepily to the hangar, but what he saw made him rub his eye to make sure he wasn't hallucinating.

"What the heck is that?" he asked. The team was gathered around a massive, motorized tricycle.

Connor patted it affectionately. "Naruto, meet the Super-Cycle."

"I came up with the name," said Wally proudly as Naruto walked forwards.

"Cool name, but I ask again; what the heck is that?"

"Let's just say I had a weird day," said Connor with a shrug, "Apparently, Sphere was some kind of alien mega-bike. She can fly and seats eight!"

Naruto gently lay his hand on the machine and it revved happily. "Huh," he said, "That's…unbelievably cool."

"Indeed," agreed Kaldur, "It certainly will help if the team needs to split up for separate missions."

"I know, right?!" grinned Connor. Naruto turned and looked at his team. They were all smiling in awe at their cool new asset. This was what they needed; an impressive distraction from recent events. Hopefully, it would be enough to tide them over to the next mission. There was still something missing though.

Naruto looked over his team and saw M'gann hanging back in the shadows of one of the halls. He cleared his throat and got the team's attention. "Alright, listen up," he said, "I want you all to get more comfortable and acquainted with the Super-Cycle. Take 'er out for a test run if you want, but I want each of you to be know the ins and outs of this machine. Got it?"

"Yes sir!" said Wally enthusiastically as he darted over to the cycle, "First dibs!"

As the team crowded around the cycle, Naruto hung back and walked to M'gann. "We should talk," he said softly, "Please?"

"Sure." Naruto frowned sadly. Even at her shyest, Hinata had been louder than M'gann was now. M'gann led them to her room and she quietly shut the door behind them.

"Are you alright?" asked Naruto.

"Yes."

"Are _we_ alright?"

M'gann hesitated. "I…I don't know."

Naruto stepped closer and cautiously put his hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"I'm scared," she whispered, "I'm scared of me. I'm scared of you. I…I'm just scared." Naruto pulled her close and she shivered as he embraced her. Her green skin slowly melded into Caucasian and Naruto rubbed her back.

"You're white," he told her gently.

She quickly checked her palm and sighed. "Yeah, it's been happening when I get anxious lately."

"It's okay to be scared," he whispered, "Sometimes I feel like I've been scared my whole life. It reminds me that I'm not evil. When I fear what I can do, what I can become, it makes me remember that I'm not power-hungry, that I'm still good. Our powers are nothing to-"

"Naruto?" she interrupted.

"Yes?"

"Shut up and hold me."

"Okay."

. . .

Naruto stood outside the Tower of Fate and sighed. "**Might as well get this over, kit.**" He nodded and walked into the magical fortress. Inside, an old man in a bathrobe was waiting for him, surrounded by enough boxes to fill a warehouse.

"It's about time!" snapped Dr. Occult as he saw Naruto, "Help me with these boxes! I found a nice little room for myself between Despair's Gallery and the House of Mystery."

Naruto stared at him. "Despair's Gallery and the House of Mystery? This is the Tower of Fate, not the Dreaming."

Dr. Occult blinked and shrugged. "So? The Tower of Fate is the magical center of the multiverse. It has doors to everywhere."

Naruto folded his arms. "It doesn't matter. I already found you a room."

Dr. Occult snorted. "What? The one next to the Infernal Maze? My memory isn't as bad as you think kid."

Naruto blinked. "How did you know I was-"

"Planning to drop me in a corner of the Tower to rot?" finished Dr. Occult whimsically, "A little something us sorcerers call divination. But an apprentice-level magician like yourself probably just knows it as fortune telling."

"And you wonder why I was trying to get rid of you," muttered Naruto, "Fine, where do you really want to live?"

"Near the library, I think," yawned Dr. Occult, "I plan to get a lot of reading done in the next few weeks."

"Fine," grunted Naruto, "Give me a second."

_Kurama, can I get some chakra?_

"**Whatever**." The demon chakra ran through Naruto like water through a hose. His body turned to orange flame as he entered the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.

Dr. Occult cackled. "Ha! Knew I felt some demon energy on you! Let me guess, your momma was a succubus?"

"Not even close," sighed Naruto as nine large arms erupted from his shoulders and wrapped around the boxes. They carefully lifted the crates up and held them over Naruto's head.

"Then what?" asked Dr. Occult as they set off for the main library, "Don't tell me the Etrigan guy had a kid."

"Of course not. Stop guessing."

"Hmm, let me think," Dr. Occult stroked his chin, "Distant personality, can turn to fire, and has facial disfigurement." A slow smirk made it's way across his face. "No way!" he exclaimed, "You're Mazikeen's kid!"

"No!" scowled Naruto, "Look, I'm a jinchuriki, alright?"

"Oh," Dr. Occult said in disappointment, "Well that's much less exciting." Naruto rolled his eyes and they walked in silence for a time. "You ever met Mazikeen?" Dr. Occult eventually asked.

"Yeah," nodded Naruto, "She came to Kent for advice once. She seemed nice."

"Ha!" barked Dr. Occult, "Mazikeen is a lot of things, kid, but nice is certainly not one of them."

"Pleasant then," said Naruto dryly, "Or polite. Take your pick. I didn't find anything wrong with her."

"You mean apart from the fact that she's a full fledged demon in Satan's inner circle?"

"Demon is just a word," said Naruto with a shrug, "They're powerful entities that chose to be evil, just as they can chose to be good."

Dr. Occult snorted. "Tell that to Trigon the Terrible."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Who-now the what?"

"Oh? Never heard of Trigon the Terrible?" Dr. Occult smirked, "You know, I was just joking with the whole apprentice thing, but did Nelson really not walk you through a basic Grimoire?"

Naruto's glare was the only answer he needed as he burst into laughter. "Are you gonna keep mocking me?" asked Naruto with a snarl, "Or are you gonna take the opportunity to educate me?"

"Sorry," chuckled Dr. Occult, "It's just…how do I explain it to someone who clearly knows so little about magic?" After a moment, he nodded to himself. "Lucifer and the Inferno are metaphysical threats. They're more abstract concepts given form than actual evil entities. Trigon and his ilk, though? They're physical, inter-dimensional demons, hell-bent on ruling all reality. They could actually conquer and rule the world."

Naruto arched an eyebrow. "And Lucifer, the master of all evil and defiler of all things divine, can't?"

Dr. Occult tilted back his head and laughed to the ceiling as they finally reached the main library. "Kid!" he sneered darkly, "He already has!"

Naruto sighed and Dr. Occult's boxes were pushed through the door next to the library. "There. You can unpack yourself."

Dr. Occult shrugged as Naruto retracted his arms of chakra and faded out of the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode. _What do you make of all that, Kurama?_

Kurama snorted as Naruto took a single step and left the Tower. "**Kent was a powerful magician, but he was a terrible priest. Your power is made through chakra and taijutsu training. His power, like Zatanna's, came from an indescribable inner energy that some consider divine.**"

_Where do demons fit into all of this?_

Kurama shrugged. "**In my opinion, black magic and light magic are separated by cost and intention.**"

_Well put._

"**Thank you.** **Hey, speaking of demons, Halloween is next week.**"

_Let me guess._ _You want to prank and scare the team? _

"**A prank war could be a good distraction, something to keep them busy. You know the flying rat-man isn't going to assign anything until he's sure of the team's collective mental stability, so we might as well have some fun while we wait.**"

Naruto looked over the ocean and smiled, knowing that this was Kurama's special way of putting the whole simulation behind him. _I'm assuming you have a plan?_

"**Oh, I have a few ideas I've been kicking around. Can we get our hands on some trip wires, a ton of superglue, and a floral shower curtain?**"

_I don't imagine it'll be too difficult._

. . .

Through an infinity of time, space, and probability, a middle aged man stared out of the wide window behind the desk of the Hokage. A red rice-patty hat with the kanji for 'Fire' adorned his head and he wore black battle robes, similar to his grandfather's. a long, worn blue scarf fell over his shoulders.

On his left stood a lovely young woman who was far older than she looked. She wore a red dress and had a black seal spiraling across her broad forehead.

On the man's other side was an old man with long grey hair. His left eye was covered by a patch and a sword hung at the belt of his dark blue robes.

Beyond the window, they could see fires stretching as far as the eye could see in every direction. "This is the end," sighed the man in the middle, "Isn't it." He said it as a statement rather than a question because he already knew the response.

"We have no chance," muttered the old man angrily, "Without Naruto or the blessings of the Sage of the Six Paths, we cannot hope to defeat him."

The woman slammed her fist against the wall. "We can't give up this easily, Sasuke!"

"Who says we're giving up, Sakura?" he asked as he drew his blade, "We will fight to the last man, Lord Hokage."

"Yes," said the Hokage, as if in a daze, "To the last man."

"I will send word to the other villages," said Sakura grimly, "He will undoubtedly go after them next. If we can weaken him here, they might have a chance if they combine their numbers in a Second Shinobi Allied Force."

"Very good," said the Hokage, turning to his advisors, "But before you go, do you think Naruto would have been proud of me? Of what I did?"

Sakura and Sasuke exchanged a glance. "He would have been disappointed with the end result," Sasuke sighed.

"But he would have been so proud to see what you accomplished," finished Sakura with a slight smile.

Konohamaru breathed deeply and glared out the window. Shillouetted against the flame was a humanoid figure that drifted closer through the air towards them. "Lord Sasuke, round up any ninja still left," he commanded, "We'll make our stand on Hokage Mountain. Lady Sakura, join us with what's left of the Medical Corps after you've sent the messages."

"Yes, sir," They said simultaneously

"We will defend this village like my rival before me, and my grandfather before him. We'll make our forbearers proud tonight. We will protect the Will of Fire!" He turned to the others, a light burning in his shining eyes. "It has been an honor to have you as my advisors and comrades!" he barked with a salute.

"It has been an honor to have you as our Hokage!" replied Sasuke with a salute as he and Sakura left.

Once he was alone, Konohamaru turned back to the window. The shadowy figure was floating with its arms folded outside the glass. "This is the end of the Hidden Leaf," whispered Konohamaru to himself, "But this war is far from over." The figure shrugged and drifted higher into the sky, out of view from the window.

. . .

Thanks for the reviews! Keep 'em coming!

Just a P.S., that talk about demons and the nature of magic isn't my personal religious beliefs, but actual dc and vertigo cannon.


	20. Secrets

Same disclaimers and italics as before.

Chapter 20: Secrets

"NARUTO!" Naruto cackled as Wally's voice echoed through the halls of the Cave. He used his chakra to run up the wall and to the ceiling. He crouched down as Wally skidded around the corner. But his cover almost immediately failed as he burst into laughter. He lost his concentration and fell to the ground with a thump, but that didn't end his laughter. Wally stumbled over to him, struggling to move as a large, floral print shower curtain wrapped around him.

Naruto's eye bulged out of his head as he struggled to breathe. "You, you look like the ghost of a crazy cat lady!" he managed.

"Dude!" snapped Wally angrily, "What about the party?"

"It's alright!" Naruto tried to breathe to calm himself down, but ended up just laughing harder, "You can go as your grandma's Sunday dress!"

"I was supposed to be a werewolf!" Wally raged, "I spent three hours working on my costume!"

"And I spent ten minutes setting up that trap!" Naruto rolled over, desperately trying to control his laughter, "Time well spent!"

"I'll kill you!" roared Wally as he shot forwards, his fist raised. Naruto Hiraishined to his room just as Wally's fist flew through the air towards him. He quickly locked his door as Wally ran to his room. "Open this door!" Wally shouted as he banged on it, "Open up so I can beat you like-" His voice was suddenly muffled and Naruto's laughter died off as he realized Wally had been silenced.

He cautiously opened the door and sighed as he peeked his head out. "Leave it to you to ruin the joke."

Batman took his hand off of Wally's mouth and pushed him to the side. "I'm known for ruining jokes. We have to talk."

Wally spared one last glare at Naruto before he dashed off, the shower curtain flapping behind him like a floral cape. Naruto folded his arms. "Do we have a problem?"

"Walk with me," Batman ordered as he turned. Naruto followed him as they began walking down the hall, "Since the team's retrieval of Red Tornado-"

"Which the League failed to do for several weeks and we managed to do in one day of searching, I might point out," said Naruto with a snicker. Batman turned to glare at him and he shirked slightly under his incessant gaze. "Sorry."

"I've thoroughly scrubbed Red Tornado's memory banks, protocol units, and startup files," continued Batman, "Although he was built to infiltrate the League, his original programming was overwritten by his sentiency. Therefore, he cannot be the mole, putting us back at square one."

"Not really," said Naruto with a shrug, "At square one, we didn't even know there might be a mole." Batman grunted as they entered the Cave's main hall. M'gann was helping Conner wrap white bandages around his body. "Burn victim?" asked Naruto as he passed.

"Mummy," sighed Conner, "M'gann talked me into it."

Naruto turned to M'gann. "Please tell me you're going as an alien. The irony is too good to pass up."

"Nope," M'gann smiled as her clothes and skin morphed from the feet up. Her skin became pale and sunken as a ripped, white bridal gown fell around her body. She crouched and snarled threateningly.

"Zombie," Conner nodded, looking suitably impressed, "That'll get some scares."

"Great minds think alike!" Captain Marvel flew in from one of the halls, "Check it out!" He grinned and rested his hands on his hips. Though he was dressed in the full regalia of Captain Marvel, his face was smeared messily with white cream. Clearly, it supposed to be zombie makeup. It took an exuberant amount of will power for Naruto not to laugh.

"Captain! You look terrific!" M'gann said supportively, "Are you going to a Halloween party too?"

Captain Marvel blinked and looked back and forth over the team. "Well, sure," he said, "I-I mean, you did invite the _whole_ team, right?"

"Yup, we'll all be there," said M'gann with a nod, "So don't worry about us. Go. Have a good time at your party!"

Captain Marvel stared at her in confusion as the Zeta Tubes came to life and Artemis and Zatanna entered, both wearing ornate witch costumes. Naruto glanced at Zatanna nervously as they complimented each other's costumes and joined the main group. "Oh hey," said Zatanna with a smile as she saw Captain Marvel, "Captain Zombie, huh? That's hilarious. Is the Justice League having a party? 'Cause my dad didn't say anything."

"No, no!" said Captain Marvel in confusion, "See I…" He looked around desperately at the team and slumped his shoulders. "Fine!" he snapped, "I'm going trick-or-treating!" He flew over to the Zeta Tube and turned back as it activated. "And I'm not sharing any of my candy!"

"Well that was weird," said a voice. Naruto turned and his willpower broke. He fell to the floor and gripped his sides as he laughed harder than he had in some time.

"Dude," whispered Conner in awe, "What happened to you?"

It looked like Wally had attempted to cut off the shower curtain but been very unsuccessful. It seemed he eventually gave up and wrapped it around his body, trying to make it work as a costume. Naruto rolled around on the floor as the others giggled. "You...You look like an effeminate Roman!" he managed to gasp, "In a floral print toga!"

Wally crossed his arms and snarled. "Shut up."

Artemis put her hands on her hips with a smirk. "Looks like the Wal-Man got some wall paper."

"Cute," said Wally dryly.

"So what, loose a bet?"

"No. I ran down a hall."

"Only you could run down a hall and end up looking like my mom's apron."

Wally sneered. "Does your mom even wear an apron? Or do you have to dress her?"

There was a gapping pause as everyone suddenly grew quiet. Naruto didn't know what Wally was talking about, but knew he had crossed some sort of line. Artemis took a step back, her face paling and her mouth turning into an ugly scowl. "That was low," she whispered.

Wally seemed to know he'd gone too far and just shrugged with nothing to say. Artemis turned on her heels and headed back towards the Zeta Tubes. Zatanna shot an angry glare at Wally before running after her. Naruto saw Artemis's shoulders shaking slightly before he turned back to the group. "So, that just happened," he said.

Wally sighed. "Let's just go, alright? I've been looking forward to this."

Conner and M'gann nodded and headed for the hangar. Naruto looked around. "Where's Kaldur and Robin?"

"Kaldur's spending a few days in Atlantis," said Batman, "Robin's waiting for us. Come with me." He turned and walked down a hall as Naruto followed. They entered the conference room and Naruto arched an eyebrow. Kaldur was leaning against the wall and Robin was reclining in an armchair. Red Tornado stood still in the middle of the room next to Red Arrow.

"Hi," said Naruto, "What are you doing here?"

"Because Batman asked me to," said Red Arrow harshly.

"We need an outside, unbiased opinion," said Batman, "Computer, lock down this room." There was a whirling sound as the door locked and the windows to the hall were covered by metal sheets. "I'll cut to the chase," he continued, "Do we believe there's a mole within the team?"

"I don't know," said Naruto, "On one hand, I trust my spies within the League of Shadows explicitly, and Saiken told me there was a mole. On the other hand, I have fought side by side with this team for a few months now, and I am certain none of them are traitors."

"Maybe the Shadows know about your spies?" Robin proposed, "Do you think they'd feed you false intel?"

"Not knowingly," said Naruto, "My spies are the Bijuu that they think they control. If they suspect the Bijuu are still loyal to me, then false intel is the least of my worries. Still, it would be just like the Shadows to exploit our weaknesses like that."

"Were there any other indications besides the Bijuu's message and Aqualad and Red Arrow's encounter with Sportsmaster in Taipei that could lead us to suspect the existence of a mole?" asked Red Tornado.

"Just one," said Naruto with a sigh, "Hanabi."

"Hanabi can't be trusted," said Batman, folding his arms, "It was my mistake to enlist her services. The truth of any information that she gives us is subject to debate."

"What about Sportsmaster?" asked Red Arrow, "He's as untrustworthy as Hanabi, but he knew details about the team's missions in Santa Prisca and Bialya."

"He could have easily compared notes with other villains helping the Injustice League," Robin pointed out.

Naruto nodded in agreement. "If there was a traitor, they would have revealed themselves in Louisiana when we fought them."

"That just leaves the Bijuu," said Batman, "Shinobi, do you believe the League of Shadows might be lying to us through them?"

Naruto hesitated. "I trust Saiken," he said after a moment's thought, "And I know he was telling the truth, but I'm equally certain that there is no traitor on the team."

"A perfect middle ground for someone like you," sneered Red Arrow.

Naruto folded his arms and leaned on the arm of Robin's chair. "Is that the cue to address the elephant in the room?"

"If there is a traitor on the team," said Red Arrow, steeping towards Naruto threateningly, "You're a prime suspect."

"You hide almost everything about your past life," said Batman softly, "Even what Robin told me about your 'ideal world' gives me only a bare sketch of where your loyalties truly lie."

"And your position on the existence of a traitor, while truthful, does indicate you have something to hide," agreed Red Tornado.

"Kent-sensei trusted me," said Naruto, "Doesn't that count for something?"

"Forgive me if I don't take the words of a hundred year-old man for granted," snorted Red Arrow.

"Hundred and six," said Naruto dryly, "And if you insult Kent Nelson again, we'll see what a weapon that's been antiquated since the 14th century does against the power of a raw Rasengan, savvy?"

"You're not helping your case," said Batman.

Naruto sighed reluctantly. "Fine, I guess from your point of view, I could be considered a danger. But aside from me, who would we suspect if we were certain there was a mole?"

"Well, I for one know Artemis isn't shooting straight," said Red Arrow, folding his arms, "For one thing, she's not Green Arrow's neice."

Naruto blinked in surprise. "She's not?"

"No," said Robin matter-of-factly, "She's actually related to-"

"Enough," Batman interrupted, "Artemis's relations may make her suspect, but she is entitled to a secret identity. I'm more concerned about Superboy. We still know very little about what Cadmus programmed into him. Conner could be the mole and not even know it."

"I doubt it," said Naruto, stroking his chin, "Red Tornado is proof that all it takes to overcome predestined programming is the ability to evolve and an exuberant amount of willpower. Conner has both in spades. In the last few months, I've seen him do what it took me a year to do; adjust to society. At the same time though, he retains a very distinct personality and forms his own unique opinions. Any issues Cadmus may have left with him are gone."

"In terms of psychology, you are correct," said Red Tornado, "But in terms of neurology, it is unclear. Superboy is a clone, and an imperfect one at that. The marks Cadmus left on him may be physical rather than mental."

"Okay, that's a good point," Naruto conceded, "But what about Artemis? I don't know who she's related to and I don't care. We aren't defined by the people in our lives any more than we're defined by our clothing."

"You can choose your clothes," Red Arrow countered, "You can't choose family."

"True, but that doesn't mean you have to associate with them either."

Robin tapped his fingers nervously. "Whew boy," he sighed, "I guess I'll be the one to say it then."

Naruto glanced down at him. "Say what?"

"Robin, Aqualad, and Kid Flash are above suspicion," said Red Arrow, "You claim not to be the traitor and you don't think Conner and Artemis are either. Who does that leave?"

Naruto blinked and looked around. "You can't be serious," he said flatly, "M'gann? You think M'gann is the traitor?"

"She _is_ Manhunter's niece," said Red Arrow, "But he told Black Canary he has a few hundred nieces and nephews, and that the first time he met M'gann was when she stowed away on his ship five months ago, hitching a ride to Earth."

"I hate to say it, Naruto," said Robin with a shrug, "But she's really eager to please, to the point where it get's a little suspicious, like she's trying to slip something by us."

Naruto stared hard at him. "You guys are kidding, right?" he demanded, "It's M'gann! She wouldn't hurt a fly unless it was mugging someone!"

"Are you saying that because you believe it or because you're dating?" asked Batman.

Naruto fixed him with a steely gaze that the dark knight could respect. "Both. M'gann is a valued and trusted member of this team."

"With access to all of your minds, memories, and thoughts," Red Arrow pointed out, "Face it, Shinobi, your girlfriend could be a potential threat to the team and you wouldn't even know it."

Naruto sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Look, among my long list of powers is the ability to sense hostility and other negative emotions," he said, "This power is downright infallible and it's never steered me wrong before. Trust me, no member of this team has ever shown any intention of betraying us."

"So from your perspective, there's only one thing that's causing you doubt," concluded Batman, "Your Bijuu spies."

"Exactly," sighed Naruto, "And with so much evidence to the contrary, it leaves me with one of two options."

"Either the League of Shadows knows they work for you, or they really do have a mole," said Robin with a nod, "Either way, not good."

Batman put a hand to his cowl as instructions came down through his ear piece. "We're going in circles," he said after a moment of listening, "This meeting is adjourned until we can find more evidence that might tip the scales."

"And until then we let a possible mole spy on the team?" demanded Red Arrow.

"Robin and I'll keep an eye out," said Naruto, gently tapping his eye patch, "There's no secret my Sharingan can't reveal."

"In the meantime, I have a mission for you, Naruto," said Batman, "Computer, unlock room." The door opened and Batman stepped out.

Naruto shrugged at Robin and followed him into the hall. "What's up?"

"Four hours ago, an ancient artifact was stolen from the New York Metropolitan Museum of Fine Art," said Batman as they headed for the Cave's main hall, "An hour later, the bodies of the museum curator and ten NYPD officers were discovered on the scene. Initial reports point to electrocution as the cause of death."

"So somebody steals some old stuff, returns to the scene to cover his tracks, and uses a weapon we can't trace because it doesn't leave behind any residual evidence," Naruto nodded, "Smart. What exactly was stolen?"

As they entered the main hall, Batman brought up a holoscreen. The image showed a hilt that looked like it was made of an actual human arm. The hand was wrapped around the cross-guard of a sword, locking it into the hilt. "The Sword of Beowulf," said Batman.

"Cool," said Naruto, "I've been wanting to see New York. Quick question though: the detective shtick is you and Robin. Why do you want me on this assignment?"

"The sword is said to wield intense magical powers," said Batman, "Since Zatara is busy on League business, Kaldur's in Atlantis, and Zatanna's not a part of the team, you are technically the leading expert on mystical phenomenon available."

Naruto grinned and took his mask off his waistband. "Expert on mystical phenomenon," he said as he twirled the mask in his hands, "I like the sound of that."

"I also thought you'd take a personal interest in this case," Batman continued, "The sword's previous owner was Kent Nelson. He left the sword to the museum in his will."

The smile vanished from Naruto's face and he slipped on his mask. With a flash off golden light, he vanished and returned with the same flash, decked in his ANBU armor and uniform. "Someone, somewhere," he growled as he activated the Zeta Tubes, "Just made a serious mistake."

A flash of light saw him emerge behind a billboard in New York. He took a moment to look around and sniff the night air. It smelled like pretzels and cigarettes, glorious but bad for you. If he wasn't so angry, he would have smiled at being in the big apple, but he was in no mood for humor.

It wasn't hard to find the Metropolitan. Police crusiers and ambulances descended on the building like moths to flame, their lights flashing incessantly. Naruto used his kunai to Hiraishin from rooftop to rooftop until he landed at the scene of the crime. A few cops drew their guns on him, but another recognized him and ordered them to stand down as Naruto walked calmly into the building.

As he entered the exhibit, the first thing he noticed was the shattered display case where he assumed the Sword of Beowulf had been. Chalk outlined bodies across the room as EMS and ambulance technicians carted away stretchers with body bags on them. "No blood," murmured Naruto to himself as he looked around the room, "No discernable footprints. What would Batman do?" Naruto thought for a moment before he began to meditate. The natural energy he felt in the room was charged with mystic aura. Clearly, sorcery had been at work recently. Batman did say the sword was magical, but the level of mysticism Naruto detected implied that the sword was on a whole different level than what Naruto was used to. As such, its wielder must have been a powerful magician.

Naruto cut off his meditation and opened his eyes. "Whoa!" he gasped as he stumbled back. In front of him was a little girl in a white hooded poncho, staring up at him with wide, doe eyes. "Hi?" he said uncomfortably as the girl pulled down her hood, revealing long, blonde hair, "Can I help you?"

"Secret," whispered the girl.

"Look, kid," said Naruto slowly, "This is a crime scene. I'm allowed in here because I'm a hero, but you really shouldn't be here."

"Secret," the girl turned and walked away, "Secret." She turned and indicated for Naruto to follow her.

"You want me to go with you?" Naruto looked around. He had gained everything he could from being around the scene of the crime. "Kid, I don't know exactly what you're doing here, but I have an investigation to do, okay? It's late and Halloween. Either go home and go to bed, or go trick-or-treating, m'kay?" He walked past the girl and exited the building. "Weird," he murmured to himself as he twirled his Kunai. He lobbed it up to a nearby roof and Hiraishined to it. "Gah!" he cried as he appeared on the roof. The little girl stood before him again, gazing up at him earily.

"Secret."

Naruto looked at the ground several storied below and then back to the girl. "How did you…?" He stopped talking as he looked into her eyes. There was something there, a sadness that was strangely familiar. Slowly, Naruto reached out his hand and tried to put it on the girl's shoulder. He shivered as it sank through her and fell to his side. "You're some kind of…reanimation," he murmured, "Aren't you?"

"Secret."

"Right, cool, um, is there anything I can do for you? I don't know any sealing jutsu, but I can call up Shukaku, he knows one."

"Secret," she motioned once again for Naruto to follow her as she set off across the roof.

Naruto looked around. _Kurama? Can you please tell me what's going on here?_

"**I have no idea, kit,**" said Kurama in wonder, "**But I don't think we have a lot of options here. Follow the girl**."

Naruto shrugged and ran after the girl as she jumped from one roof to another. "I guess we're doing this then," he said as he vaulted over an alley and landed with a roll on another building. "So, what's your name?"

"Secret."

"Okay. Where are you taking me?"

"Secret."

"A little suspicious, but I've done stupider things before. Does this have to do with the Sword of Beowulf?"

Naruto glared at her. "What's with the secret stuff?"

"Secret."

Naruto narrowed his eye. "What's your favorite color?"

"Secret."

"Who was your second grade gym teacher?"

"Secret."

"What is the answer to the meaning of life?"

"Secret."

"Can you say anything other than secret?"

"Secret."

"That's what I thought," sighed Naruto, "At least I get partnered with a wonderful conversationalist." They ran over buildings for several dozen blocks. No matter how fast Naruto ran or how often he used the Hiraishin, the little girl was always a few yards ahead of him.

Finally, after ten minutes of trying to get her to say anything other than 'secret' She stopped on the roof of a cozy little brownstone. "Is this it?" asked Naruto as he caught up with her, "What is this place?"

"Secret."

"Right, of course. Why wouldn'y it be secret?" grumbled Naruto as he walked to the edge of the roof. He scanned the street and his eyes widened. "Well now," he said softly as he crouched down and the girl walked up behind him, "What do we have here?" Across the street, glowing neon signs advertised a shop called 'Abel's House of Secrets'.

"Secret," whispered the girl.

"Indeed," nodded Naruto in agreement, "Abel, you old fox. We'll talk about this later." He stood up and began to pace. _Hey furball, you sense anything?_

"**Two people below us,**" growled Kurama, "**Scared and angry.**"

_Hostages probably. I'll go in stealthy._

He turned to the girl. "Can you cause a minor distraction?"

"Secret."

"I have no idea what that means so I'm going to assume you can't do it. Fine." He drew a kunai and walked over the side of the building, latching himself to the walls with his chakra. He slid down to a window and knelt down. He gently pried the window open with the kunai and slipped inside as noisily as a shadow. The room was dark and largely empty. Naruto rolled across a dusty rug to a door and carefully opened it.

A narrow hallway led to a staircase with a door on each side. Naruto crouched down and crept forwards, taking care to muffle his footsteps. He heard voices from one room and put his ear to the door. He couldn't make anything out, but it was clearly a boy and a girl. "**Best not engage anyone just yet**," Kurama advised, "**Try the other room first.**" Naruto nodded and crawled away from the door and across the hall.

He carefully opened the door just as the little girl ripped a piece of tape of Zatanna's mouth. Naruto stared as she uttered an incantation that ripped away the ropes that tied her down. "Well, I can honestly say I didn't expect this."

"Shut up," growled Zatanna as she stood up and rubbed her wrists, "What are you doing with little miss secret?"

Naruto blinked. "Oh, you know her? Isn't she a riot."

Zatanna rolled her eyes and swiveled on the girl. "First you get us caught and then you help me? What's your angle here?"

"Secret." Zatanna snarled and looked around the room.

"You," said Naruto to the girl as Zatanna crossed the room, "Have issues."

"No kidding," said Zatanna, "Take a look at this."

She waved a framed picture in Naruto's face and he took it from her. It was a Polaroid of the girl in a pink sweatshirt, hugging a tall, rugged man in his early twenties. "What's this?" he asked.

"That's the guy that attacked us!" hissed Zatanna, "That's Harm!"

Naruto blinked. "You're gonna have to start at the beginning here. What are you doing in New York? Who's 'us'?"

Zatanna's eyes widened and she grabbed Naruto. "Get down!" she cried as a bolt of magical lightning shot overhead. Naruto pushed her away as he rolled into the shadows and turned to face the threat.

It was the man from the picture. He was topless and paler with a claw marks scarred across his face, but there was no mistaking it. His chest pulsed with an inner light and he twirled a short blade with expert skill. "So, it managed to escape Harm's bonds?" he said casually, "And it brought more people into Harm's home? How rude of it."

Naruto looked around as Zatanna stood up. The secret girl was nowhere to be seen. With a grunt, he launched himself forwards at the man. He swung the sword and Naruto ducked under it, tackling Harm's legs out from under him. Harm rolled away as Naruto spun across the hall and kicked open the other door.

Artemis was strapped to a chair and glared up at him as he blinked in surprise. "Well? You gonna free me or what?" Naruto turned just in time to dodge a swing of Harm's sword. He quickly formed a Shadow Clone which backed off to free Artemis while he shoved Harm across the hall.

"Drop the sword and give up!" Naruto demanded, "Unless you want me to get even angrier."

"It seems to be upset that Harm has the sword," said the man with a cruel smile, "Perhaps it knows magic?"

From the dark of the each room shot a volley of arrows and enchanted curtains. Harm twirled his sword, cleaving the arrows in half and shredding the curtains as Artemis and Zatanna ran next to Naruto. "Watch it," Zatanna warned, "The sword absorbs magic."

"Good thing my jutsu isn't magic then," snarled Naruto as he backed off, "There's not enough room to play in here. Let's take this outside." He quickly glanced behind him and saw the pale little girl at the bottom of the stairs. "You two follow, ah, Secret, I guess. I'll hold him off."

Artemis turned and gasped as she drew her crossbow. "She's his partner!"

"Then why did she help me?" asked Zatanna.

"Don't know! Secret, remember?" Harm raised the blade and it cackled with electric magic. Naruto shoved the girls down the stairs with a grunt as he dodged to the side and slid forwards. He popped up and punched Harm in the face. Harm just smiled, not even flinching at the blow. Naruto rolled back to avoid a stroke of the sword and snarled as he flew through hand seals.

"Mind Transfer Jutsu!" he said as he thrust his hands forward in the final seal. There was a howling in his mind as his consciousness left him. A jab of pain shot through him and his mind retreated into his body, collapsing in shock.

"It uses a technique that transfers the soul," said Harm, twirling the sword with a bemused expression, "But Harm's soul is too pure to be forced out of his body."

"Good to know," said Naruto as he pushed himself to his feet. He drew a kunai and adapted a defensive pose.

_Think it might be time to try my new Taijutsu?_

"**It isn't perfected yet and you're going against a guy with a sharp object in his hands. I wouldn't risk it.**"

"Hey, Shinobi!" shouted Artemis from somewhere within the house, "I'm about to blow up the kitchen!"

"Thanks for the heads up!" he shouted back, not taking his eyes off Harm.

Harm blinked and rolled his eyes to the heavens. "Oh, that little-" Whatever he was about to say was cut off by an explosion that rocked the house. Naruto took advantage of the momentary confusion and dove into one of the rooms. He braced himself as he jumped through the glass pane of the window and fell two stories to the ground. He snarled in pain as he hit the earth with a solid thump and dozens of shards pierced through his skin. He seemed to be in a small backyard of the brownstone. He would have to thank whatever powers may be that he didn't land on the street later.

He slowly rolled over until he was on his back and looked up. Artemis was standing over him, offering him her hand. He took it and she helped him to his feet. "You okay?"

He laughed as he rolled his shoulders and pieces of glass fell out of his jacket. "I've had lightning shoved through my chest. If I could survive that, I think I'll be alright with a few cuts."

"Guys, check this out." Zatanna was bent over a patch of upturned earth with a wooden marker at the head of it. "Greta Hayes," she read aloud, "Beloved sister."

Suddenly, the pale head of Secret rose from the grave, slipping through the earth like it was liquid. Zatanna gasped as she stumbled back. "This is your grave!" she realized, "This is your secret!"

"A ghost," whispered Artemis in shock, "An actual ghost."

"More like a soul forcibly ripped from the afterlife like an apple from a tree," said Naruto with a shrug, "But you got the general idea. How'd you die?"

The girl raised her hands and a phantasmal image of a wicked knife floated between her fingers. "Harm's dagger!" hissed Artemis.

Naruto frowned and folded his arms. "You don't say," he murmured as he clenched his fists. The wall of the house exploded behind them, but Naruto did not react as Artemis and Zatanna stood next to him, ready for a fight.

Harm stepped through the whole he'd made in the wall. "They defile Harm's holy place!" he snapped angrily.

"Us?! You did this!" raged Artemis, motioning to the grave, "You killed your own sister!" Naruto turned in time to see the smirk that flittered across Harm's face. "You're proud if it!" shouted Artemis as she raised her crossbow, "And you had the gall to write 'beloved'!"

"Not gall, truth," said Harm, "She was the only thing Harm ever loved. That's why she had to go. Harm's heart had to be pure to wield the Sword of Beowulf. She had to be excised, like a-"

"You never loved her," Naruto interrupted.

Harm paused. "It questions Harm?"

"I don't have to question you, Harm," said Naruto calmly, "I have you all figured out."

"It thinks it knows Harm," chuckled the man to himself.

Naruto cracked his neck. "Artemis, got any flash grenade arrows?"

"No, sorry."

"I have a light spell," offered Zatanna.

"Get behind me."

Harm smiled. "Harm supposes he should kill the its before they formulate a plan. They did destroy Harm's home after all." With a snarl that sounded more animal than human, Harm leapt forwards, his sword raised.

"Thgil thgirb!" shouted Zatanna and a burst of light exploded behind Naruto.

Harm shielded his eyes from the blaze, but Naruto ignored it. His hands flipped through seals with expert practice. "Shadow Possession Jutsu!" The bright light behind him cast his shadow over Harm and he was instantly under Naruto's control. "Shadow possession complete. Zatanna, keep that light burning."

"Harm…can't…move!" hissed the man as he struggled against the bond his shadow had made with Naruto's. Naruto opened his palm and the sword dropped from Harm's hand to the ground.

"I knew a man once," he said, "This guy killed his entire family. Parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, the works. But he did it so that others would live, so that there would be peace." Naruto paused and reached behind him. Harm did likewise and, though Naruto grasped nothing, he slowly pulled out his dagger with a shaking hand. "He left his brother alive though," Naruto continued, mimicking a throwing notion. Harm's dagger landed at his feet and he bent down to pick it up, Harm copying his movements perfectly. "He couldn't bring himself to kill his little brother. His brother was innocent, you see. The rest of the family was plotting a coup, but the little brother was innocent. And that's what ultimately is the difference between you and this guy." Naruto twirled the dagger and took a step towards Harm. "He defended the innocent. You sacrificed one."

Harm stared in fear at Naruto as he was forced closer and closer to him. "What are you going to do with me?" he whimpered.

Naruto raised the dagger and Harm's hand followed his movements. "The man was called Itachi Uchiha," he said softly, "And it's in his name and Greta's that I do this." He swung the blade in two quick strokes and Harm cried out in sudden agony, the glowing light in his chest fading. Zatanna gasped and her light spell ended. But that was alright; it wasn't needed anymore. Artemis looked visibly shaken as Naruto turned around and dropped the dagger. "I'd tell you to cuff him," he said, "But I have a feeling they won't work on him anymore." Harm stared down in shock at the stumps that had once been his hands and fell to his knees. Zatanna muttered a spell and a ribbon shot from her sleeve, wrapping around Harm and trapping his arms to his sides.

"That was…harsh," she said as Naruto walked past her towards Greta's grave, "A little much, don't you think?"

"Vengeance always is," sighed Naruto as he bent down over the marker, "Tie him up and leave him for the cops. Then you and Artemis go home."

Artemis shook herself back to reality. "We should give her a proper burial," she said.

"We will. But for now, I think it best that I handle things from here." Naruto stood up and walked back across the yard. He picked up the sword and it shivered in his grip and jumped out of his hand. It twirled by itself for a moment before sliding into it's cursed sheath and locking into place.

"I guess your heart's not pure," said Zatanna as Naruto picked up the sheath and tucked it under his arm.

"I didn't need an enchanted sword to tell me that," said Naruto dryly, "Besides, if I have to kill my friends and family to change that, I think I'd rather stay tainted." He walked through the gate to the backyard and onto the sidewalk as Zatanna and Artemis exchanged a look. Across the street, the blinking neon lights of Abel's House of Secrets seemed both to be calling to Naruto and warning him away.

Naruto crossed the empty street and, even though a 'Closed' sign adorned the glass, pushed open the door. The inside of the shop was a wide room with antique furniture lining the walls and taxidermy animals scattered around. A soft snoring came from a large, over-stuffed armchair in the corner, its source shrouded by shadows. Naruto smiled slightly as Greta ghosted through the wall next to him.

"Secret," she whispered, putting a finger to her mouth.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Abel?"

There was a snorting sound as the snorer roused awake and tumbled out of his chair in surprise. "H-hello?" asked the figure as he rose up. It was a fat, stout man in a baby-blue suit. He had a pointed black beard and mustache and a well-coifed head of hair. "Abel?" asked Naruto again as he stepped forwards, "Host of the House of Secrets, Brother to Cain, Servant of Dream and all that?"

"T-that's m-me," stuttered the man nervously as he figetted, "W-what d-do-" he glanced behind Naruto and his beady eyes widened as he saw Greta. "Oh! Um, I, er, s-so s-sorry! I-I-"

"It's alright," said Naruto gently, "I just wanted to thank you. You revived Greta's soul, right?"

"Y-yes. L-lord M-Morpheus w-will b-be s-so m-mad. I-I d-didn't a-ask f-for p-permission t-to in-interfere."

"I'm glad you did," said Naruto, "And sometimes a good deed is its own reward."

"C-Cain'll k-kill m-me a-again."

"That doesn't change that what you did was a good thing," said Naruto, "You helped bring a dangerous criminal to justice and redeemed an innocent sacrifice. I'd say that deserves a little something." He held out the sword to Abel and the fat man blinked.

"T-the S-Sword of B-Beowulf?" he stammered, "B-but I-"

"It'll be harder for Cain to kill you," said Naruto, taking Abel's hand and putting the sword in it, "Besides, it clearly isn't safe in this plane of existence."

Abel lifted the sword to eye height to examine it before he placed it anxiously on the counter with a nod. "Secret," said Greta softly and Naruto turned to her.

"So, what'll you do?" he asked, "We'll give you a proper burial, but that's no guarantee that your soul will rest. It's hard to get an apple back on a tree once it's been picked."

"Secret," Greta shrugged.

"That's probably the first time I understood you," said Naruto dryly.

"I-It's h-hard m-managing a-all the s-secrets," whispered Abel, "Y-you c-could w-work w-with m-me?"

A small smile made its way over the dead girl's face. "Secret."

"Then it's decided," said Naruto with a clap of his hands, "Thanks again, Abel. You did good today." Naruto made his way to the door and put his hand on the handle.

"S-sir?" mumbled Abel. Naruto turned back questioningly. "I-I kn-know a-all s-secrets," said Abel anxiously, "I-I'm n-not s-supposed to b-but is th-there an-anything y-you w-want t-to know?"

Naruto hesitated. If he wanted to know if there was a mole on the team, now was the time. Abel was the keeper of all secrets, he would certainly know if there was a traitor. But still, Naruto felt satisfied. "Thanks, Abel," he said, "But I think I know all I need to for know." He pushed open the door with a smile and walked back out into the street.

Zatanna and Artemis stood on the sidewalk and he frowned. "I thought I said to go home."

"I'm not a part of your team," said Zatanna with a smirk, "You can't order me around."

Naruto turned to Artemis. "And what's your excuse?"

"I just didn't want to."

"Fair enough. I don't know about you guys, but I'm done with today." Naruto started walking the general direction of the Zeta Tube and the girls fell in next to him.

"So was that _the _House of Secrets?" asked Zatanna with intrigue.

"Don't get your hopes up," chuckled Naruto, "It'll be gone by sunrise. Did the cops get Harm?"

"No, an ambulance did," said Artemis, "Was that story you told about the guy who killed his family true?"

"Itachi? Yeah. Turns out he was a hero in the end."

"Doesn't sound like one," grumbled Zatanna, "I can't imagine killing my dad."

"That's why Itachi did it," said Naruto with a shrug, "Nobody else could."

"I can't believe Harm killed his own sister," snarled Artemis as she hugged herself.

"Speaking of family," said Naruto, "What was up with Wally in the Cave? Does your mom just hate aprons or something?"

"No," sighed Artemis sadly, "She's paraplegic."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "I don't remember. What's that mean again?"

Zatanna elbowed him in the ribs. "Shut up you idiot!" she hissed, "Her mom's in a wheelchair!"

"Oh," Naruto shrugged, "So? A ton of people are para…parapul…parallel…in a wheelchair."

"Yeah," muttered Artemis, "But most people aren't put in them by their spouses."

Naruto nodded in understanding. "So what Wally said hit close to home, huh?"

"Literally."

"So that would make Wally something of a jerk, huh?"

Artemis stared at him incredulously. "How long have you known him? And you're just now figuring that out?"

Naruto and Zatanna exchanged a quick glance and smirk. "So if that's the case," said Zatanna, "Why do you like him?"

Artemis snorted. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Naruto smirked. "Of course you don't."

"Whatever you say," said Zatanna with a knowing smile, "By the way, Naruto, I never did thank you."

"Mmm? For what?"

Zatanna reached into her pocket and pulled out a polished, bronze pocket watch. "I'm an official Sentinel of Magic!" she said proudly, "Apparently your recommendation went a long way."

Naruto blinked. He hadn't sent any message to the Sentinels of Magic because he hadn't managed to find any. When he'd asked Dr. Occult, the old man had shrugged and gone back to berating Naruto. "Uh, no problem," he lied, "Happy to help."

"I'm not as high up as you," she said as she flicked the watch open and closed, "Bronze level. But I can work my way up."

"I'm sorry," said Artemis suddenly, "But Naruto…you cut off that guy's hands!"

"Yes," said Naruto simply, "The hands he used to kill his sister. Trust me, I'll put it in the report, Batman'll put me on probation or something, and that'll be that."

"Still, it was pretty hardcore," Zatanna pointed out, "I don't think I'll be sleeping tonight."

"Don't worry, I won't make a habit of eviscerating our enemies," Naruto said dryly.

"Another thing," said Artemis, "You jumped through a glass window. How are you still conscious?"

Naruto shrugged. "I heal fast."

They arrived at the Zeta Tube and teleported to the Cave with a flash of light. Inside the main hall, M'gann and Conner were laughing uproariously and Wally was grumbling to himself. When he saw Artemis, he quickly turned away and walked down the hall.

"I see you guys had a fun night," said Zatanna.

"Oh boy!" chuckled Conner, "Do we have a story for you!"

"I have a better one," said a voice as Kaldur stepped through the Zeta Tube, "You're not going to believe what just happened in Atlantis."

. . .

Thanks for the reviews! Keep 'em coming!

As a huge fan of the Sandman comics, I'm kicking myself for not catching the Abel's House of Secrets reference earlier. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter and I'm glad I managed to pay some homage to Professor Gaimen. Still, I don't think I'll do too many more crossovers with Vertigo. As much as I love the characters and plots, they would complicate the narrative.\

Also, major props to HMMaster for pointing out I've been misspelling Conner's name. I'll try to fix it later.


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